The place I live now really is nothing special, and I’m not just being modest, but it is famous across Japan for two things: hot springs and crab. Last weekend a friend from Korea came over for a hot spring trip, so I showed them around. It was a short stay, so we couldn’t visit many places, but this felt about right. Any longer and we’d have run out of places to go anyway..
Our first stop was the onsen ryokan Minami. We were debating what to have for lunch and settled on Minami’s signature ochazuke. Dinner would be a full spread at the ryokan, so lunch had to be kept on the light side.
Green tea
A kind young woman in a kimono pours it for you and moves on. Formal places like this are pricey, sadly. A set that used to be 1,500 yen had gone up to 2,300 yen when I went this time. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t crowded.. I should have eaten my fill back when it was 1,500 yen.
The tai-meshi (sea bream rice) set
This is the spread you get. True to expectations, even the smallest side dish is made with care. A place like this is really handy to know, because it never disappoints no matter who you bring. It’s exactly my kind of restaurant.
The ochazuke toppings
You scoop some rice into your bowl, add the toppings, and pour the tea over it. It’s light and clean, and the sharp kick of fresh wasabi gives the mild flavor a focal point. It’s not made with luxury ingredients, but it shows the basics of Japanese cooking really well. Food made with this much care really does taste best at a specialist.
Fried flounder
It seemed a bit drier than before, but oh well…
A little out of focus, but here’s the chawanmushi
It’s a kind of steamed egg custard and a classic Japanese starter. There’s seafood and ginkgo nuts inside, so it has some bite too. This place tops it with a little something like mushrooms, which makes it look even more appetizing.
This place isn’t just about the food; the garden is lovely too, but my camera has been acting up lately, so I couldn’t get any decent shots. I really need to buy a new camera – and on top of that my lens needs repairing, sigh – so I’m torn about what to do next. I need to think about whether to go with Leica, a brand I personally love, or stick with my current Pentax + 31mm Limited. Knowing how lazy I am, I’ll probably just carry on as is for a while.
The view at the Adachi Museum of Art
After lunch we went to the Adachi Museum of Art. Partly because my skills aren’t up to much, I couldn’t get a proper photo of this gorgeous garden. And since none of the paintings I like were on display – things like Yokoyama Taikan’s folding screens – this visit wasn’t all that memorable. I’ll have to go back around spring or summer
After leaving the Adachi Museum of Art, I dropped my friend off at the onsen ryokan and headed straight home. I was glad we made it back on schedule without running late.