Hello! It's me again..
I'm super productive these day to make it for my last absence....
This is our last day at Kyoto. Only left one place from the list that need to be visited. It's the famous Bamboo Forest or they call it by "Arashiyama". It's not difficult to get there, you just have to take train from Kyoto Station then alight at Saga Arashiyama. Not so far also. From the train station you just have to walk for 10 minutes to reach the forest. We don't know which direction to go, just follow the people in front of you... hahaha...
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| You can take rickshaw if you don't want to walk. |
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| Saw these cute statues which reminds me of Japanese folklore, which one of the statue can turn to life. Forget the name. |
After a short walk passing by some local houses and cute cafe, we reached at the forest. No entrance fee!! Then we quickly set up the tripod to take photo while there's still not much tourists.
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| There's a very pretty lake nearby. The scenery is surreal. |
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| See the duckling with its mom are swimming peacefully. |
After a while we got a bit bored because not much things to see, just trees, bamboo and tourists. Yeah, I'm not really a nature people. Oh there's a train actually, if you like you can take the train but don't know where they will bring you. We got lost on our way going back to the station, "the follow people in front of you" is not working this time, they also lost. T_T
But finally we can reach the station and decided to hunt for best ramen in Kyoto. Based on our express browsing we only managed to find out "Gogyo, the burnt ramen". It's located near Nishiki Food Market. One stone, strike two birds. It wasn't easy to get to the place, we have to ask several people for the direction.
We reached there around 2pm, and we were super hungry, but have to queue for a while. It was drizzling that time. So waiting outside in that kind of weather is make me "HANGRY". The ramen better taste as good as we expected.
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| Me and the restaurant sign. |
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| The interior is cozy, they decorate it in modern style. Love the wooden table. |
They provide disposable bib so the ramen soup won't stain your clothes. At first I don't think I need that, but then I was wearing white top so I asked for it. And I don't know how to wear, hahaha... And wore it wrong way. Sorry guys, no picture. Was busy with my ramen.
Here's the ramen.... It does taste good. The soup is very rich with a burnt aroma which makes the taste even stronger. The other topping are normal. Finally a good ramen in Japan! We wanted to order the gyoza but it's sold out.
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| Here's the burnt ramen, and again the give free rice. |
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| Mine, no extra rice but with veggie! |
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Here's the menu, spot the obvious different!!
Can anyone who understand Japanese explain to me: Why the English menu only have one slice of the pork?? |
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| Cute rolling door |
Now it's time to explore the market... It's a long stretched of alley with shops on both sides. A bit difficult to walk when there's a lot of people. They sell mostly fresh products like seafood, fruits, japanese pickles and other things that i don't know what they are. But there are some store selling sushi magnets and sovenirs.
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| dried fish, i guess? |
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artificial strawberries. why they look all same size and color and so perfect?! And cheap too (less than S$5)
Must be for display, rite? |
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| try to buy 1 packet, and THEY ARE REAL STRAWBERRIES. Super sweet. The best strawberry that I've ever eat in my life!!! I will forget about beef if i can eat this strawberry everyday, literally!!! How do they plant it? Must be using some kind of super power?? |
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| Me and my strawberry (in the plastic bag) |
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| are those jelly? |
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| octopus with an egg inside. I didn't try. No more space in my tummy. Sorry, maybe next time. |
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| Fermented beans? |
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| sushi magnets. not cheap. not buying |
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| At the end of the market, there are shops and restaurants. |
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| I stare at the display for 5 minutes. |
We only bought that strawberries and some goma (roeasted sesame) dressing which turn out to be not so nice compared with "the Kewpie". Since it's the last day we're in Kyoto and according to my plan we have to go to Osaka, just to take photo with the "Glico Man". So the long journey to Osaka now begin... Actually it's not that long, only take around 30mins to reach Osaka from Kyoto. Then from there we have to change train to go to Dotonbori, Namba.
When we reached at Namba station, we were greeted by "Basement of a Department Store". You know what that's mean in Japan, don't you?! (meaning: the food section)
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| Fresh Sushi |
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| Fish Roe |
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| More cheap sushi... |
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| OMG, dessert!!! my kryptonite... but they're not cheap, ok money, you're save. |
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| more desserts.... |
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| perfectly cut strawberry roll cake. |
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| perfect cakes |
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| don't know what is that, but they looks yummeh |
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| pretty dessert.... can i have a taste, please? |
After all those torture at the basement, We cannot resist but bought a small portion of salad, a beef croquette and a glass of juices to be shared by me and my husband. And when we about to continue our journey to find the Glico Man, I saw a store calling my name...
GODIVA!!! I didn't know that time if Takashimaya Singapore also selling the ice blended and soft ice cream... I've been holding back not buying at the Kyoto Station... Cannot resist anymore...
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| Chocolate Ice blended.... Taste damn good... |
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| Failed candid photo |
OK, tummy is full and happy, journey resume... Dotonbori is a huge area full with stores and eateries. They're famous with their unique signages that light up at night... It's like the most happening place in Osaka (We only visited this part of Osaka, lol)
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| easy to get lost. Stick to your group.. |
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| And we're here!! That big crab sign has been calling his name... |
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| They're selling grill crab leg. |
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| a portion only consist of two pieces... |
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| this Dotonbori area is his favorite part of the whole journey |
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| failed touching photo of the gyoza. |
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| that octopus actually can dance and sing. this is photo not video, sorry |
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| pretty japanese ladies |
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pretty indonesian lady |
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| Glico Man snacks!! |
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| cute packaging |
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| Our dinner was conveyor belt sushi which taste pretty normal. no need to write more about it... |
After satisfy with taking photos of the signages, we still haven't found the Glico Man. Must be at another part. But then when we walk we realize that he's behind us!!!
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| TA DAAA..... |
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| A bit tricky to take photo with it. |
Next time I won't be able to see the Glico Man again, it's been replaced by a Glico Girl. Another reason to go back to Osaka then!! Why not...
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| photo credit: ujep |
The journey back to our hotel at Kyoto is another long journey. We were all so tired and tomorrow we have to wake up super early to catch the train to Tokyo!!
See you in Tokyo....
Sayonara!!!
