Mochi cream in Narita

yeah... It's all coming back to me. The iresistable frozen Mochi cream shop in the airport. As if we are trying to prolong our stay beyond the checkpoint, we have traced our way to the Mochi place and indulged in cheese cake and strawbery Mochi. A last glass of Draft Yebisu and a final noodle bowl with sliced grilled pork. We are leaving Japan with a taste of more...

Camels in Japan.

There are no Camels in Japan. When I first visited the US, in the late 70's, people asked me if I owned a Camel and if that is how I got to school. I always considered it a result of ignorance. Israel was a modern country and my Dad was driving an American car at the time.
During this trip to Japan, I had a few "Camel" gaffes and I am about to put myself to shame as a way of redemption.
Rice fields:
on the plane to Tokyo,a lady named Michiko was sitting next to me And we struck a conversation about what to see in Japan. I asked her where can we best see Rice Fields in the country. Well folks, the answer is everywhere. Other then down town Tokyo, there is no single road or view that does not include a rice field somewhere. We have 2,000 km of footage to prove it.
Buddha:
When riding into Kyoto, a giant Buddha statue was seen on the mountain above one of the town's shrines. Whe I was discussing what to see in Kyoto, with the concierge in the hotel, I asked what is the site of the giant stone Buddha. The lady concierge giggled in a typical Japanese way and told me that it was not Buddha, just a stone statue... It sure looked like Buddha to me.
Shoji doors:
Our first night was spent in a traditional Ryokan in Goyakama, a heritage village near Nagano. Danielle was interested to know how do the people here keep the snow out of the house, with the Japanese doors made wood and paper doors. She asked a girl who was sharing dinner with us, how do the doors with Rice paper windows, keep the snow out. The girl giggled and told us that it is just paper, not Rice paper... Didn't we always learn that Japanese doors and screens are made with wood and rice papers?...

Robataya Tokyo

Life is good. Having dinner at Robataya Tokyo. An amazing grand finale to a great trip.
Amira, our chef, takes the ingredients from the stage in front of him, and prepares them on either a grill or a steamer that are positioned around him. We chose Sashimi for starts, baby crabs that were grilled as crunchy snacks, Red Mullet on a skewer and beef skewers for Danielle chan. The dinner was very entertaining. The orders were shouted across the room by the waiters and fresh Mochi was stamped in traditional fashion in a large stone mortar.
A few bottles of Yebisu beer accompanied the dinner. After his shift, Akira showed us their celebrity photo album, with Sting, Brad & Angelina, and other car racers, actors, singers and statesman.
Semi dry Sake in a box and sweet Mandarine slices, sealed the dinner.
Hopped in a cab and back to the hotel.
Tomorrow we will be heading back home.

Returning the bike

Time to drive the bike back to the Japan Bike Rent shop. Safta chan and I get on the GS one final time and program the location of JBR in the GPS. Two times right, and we are on the onramp to the 20 Expressway. 200 meters further, a frantic toll cashier, waves to us with a Luke Skywalker wand, and explains to us in fluent Japanese, that we can not ride two up on freeways in Tokyo.
It all came back to us. We new the rule but forgot about it. It stemed from a time when the police was cracking down on Yakooza gangs, roaming the city two up, shooting each other. He insisted we turn around and head back where we came from. Only this time, we were driving against the two lane traffic in kamikaze style, breaking one rule just to comply with another. I hugged the wall, turned my hazard lights on, and stepped on it. Safta chan had her eyes closed and was screaming...
Down the incline and a uturn, and we were safe again, back on our way on side roads.

Tokyo fish market

This is our last day of the trip. We started the day at 6am in the Tokyo Tsukiji fish market. I am sure lots of blogs write about this place. It's the second time I visit the market and just like 10 years ago, the first thing that struck me was the smell of sea as opposed to fish. We were late for the Tuna auction but still got view of the large yellow fins being distributed and processed. We maneuvered our way sjillfuly around the cazy motor trucks that zoof to and from the loading dicks. Tokyo gets it's fresh delivery of dish and sea food for the day.
I coul not name more then five items I have seen. The variety is stunning. Thousends of merchants, dealers and restaurant owners, choose their pick. An amazing culinary experience, but not for the faint of heart.
We ended the morning at a food stand on the edge of the market, with a KaisenDob, a fish sashimi sampler on a ball of rice.

June 2nd - Zaba san 50th Birthday

Feels good to be 50. Met a couple of geezers celebrating one's 74th Birthday Japanese style. Traditional dinner, visit to a Geisha lounge and a day of Golf. Sure have something to look forward to. There is life after 50...
We had grand plans for the day. A skyline drive or two, that would bring us to Tobe, the birth place of the cultured Pearl, and a harbor of a ferry boat that will bring us closer to Mt Fuji. A combination of GPS programing error (user error I admit) and lack of time, put us on a different rout. Shorter but never the less beautiful. As we got used to, twists, beautiful views and endless rice fields. The drive was fantastic.but by the time we got to Toba, the only available room we could find, was a mediocre Japanese style hotel. The people were very excited for having foreigners on a bike come stay with them. It was nice friendly Motel 6 stay.
The morning after we packed and left. Driving by Pearle island, we got on a ferry heading across the bay. An hour later, we were on our way to Shuzenji.

Kobe Beef in Kobe

Aritsugu Kyoto food market

Kyoto market BBQ squid

June 1st

For our second day in Kyoto, we had planned a visit to Aritsugu, the 450 year knife maker, and a trip to the near by Kobe, for a Kobe beef, steak.
The path to Aritsugo was going through a half mile long food market. Needless to say, by the time we got to Mr. Aritsugu's store, we had steamed Rice patties with leek and shrimps, bamboo wrapped rice patties with sweet minced beef, baby octopus, marinated in sweet soy sauce and grilled on a bamboo stick. yummmmmm.
A pickle shop with adjacent pickling room, provided some samples of Cucumbers, Aubergines, Bamboo shoots and Daikon, in fermented rice.
The knife store was a surprise. I expected an old man leaning over the fire stove, hammering his knives into shape. instead, we found a immaculate, modern designed store, with an astonishing selection of Japanese for each and every task from the finest carving knives to butcher axes.
One sided blade knives were presented with a left and right handed variations. After some consultation, I have chosen a knife to be added to my collection. Not that I needed another knife, but how often do you get the opportunity to buy a knife from Mr. Aritsugo's half century old establishment?
An hour trip on the Bike later, we were wandering the streets of Kobe. The town was nothing to write home about. It has been largely wiped out in the '95 earth quake and new meaningless buildings have been erected.
A web search and some walking around brought us to a reasonably good teppan yaki restaurant. Our table side chef, prepared for us, simple but mouth watering filet and entrecôte of Kobe beef, accompanied with nothing but salt from a near by mountain.
Walking out of the restaurant, we both agreed that it has been the best steak we have ever had. Ever!!!
The trip back home (Westin Kyoto, that is) has taken forever. I forgot to turn off the "avoid toll roads" option on the GPS. I don't think I have ever rode 60+ km on surface roads. Surely not at night, on the left side of the road, in a foreign country.
Once again, a shower and bed were a welcoming finale to an eventful day.
Tomorrow is my Birthday and the beginning of the trip back north to Tokyo.

Kyoto

We decided to take a break from camping Japanese style, and checked in to the Westin in Kyoto. A bit of indulgence, leading to my 50 th birthday....
In Kyoto, I had one spot marked on my to-do list. Aritsugu, a 400+ years old sword maker joint, that has now reverted to kitchen knifed and utensils. In a small but well designed store in the market of Kyoto, Aritsugo lived up to the expectations. We are off to Kobe today. Looking forward to a good steak. More about Aritsugo when we get back to the hotel tonight.

On the road to Narai

BBQ Char and impressions of Gokayama

The Inn keeper

Safta chan in the kitchen

Safta chan sent mail

Subject: Hi

Hey there. Thought I would send you a quick email to say hi and give u some pics.

We are starting our third day today going to stay in Kyoto or the next two nights. We ate opting for a western hotel tonight as we have stayed for two nights at Japanese style and needless to say the tatami mats are not as comfy as my heavenly bed!!

We ended up last night in a village, and when I say village I MEAN village!  7 houses and no English. Thank god for the iPhone bc I have an english to Japanese translator that types words in Japanese!!  So we goto this one place trying to tell them we were recommended to stay there and they say sorry closed but motion to another house where we go and the lady shows us to our tatami room!  I was a bit nervous bc no English and at some pt 6 Japanese college students show up who of course spoke engrish. All in all it was great but a bit dicey at first. So the lady of the house gives us a present for staying, I think oh how nice soup.  But no... After everyone takes a sip and passes the bowl to me... It is hot sake(not bad) with one of the cooked fish in it you see below. It also wasn't too bad but a bit funny as our exposure to Japanese food is the fairly tame raw stuff we eat at home! But the food is great and people are very nice and we r having a great time.

Love u
Danielle

Day 3 - Zaba san & Safta chan find new friends

Poetry
It's easy to understand how do Japanese people get so poetic about everything, once you hit rural Japan. Our trip brought us to the small village of Ainokura, part of the Gokayama heritage village triangle. A rustic local tourism attraction with villagers keeping true to the Japanese tradition.
Yomoshiro seemed to be the secret code. It is the name of the local Ryokan where we intended to stay. Obviously showing up without reservation, made us miss the fine detail that the joint is closed...
The name Yomoshiro however, made the guard at the gate bow deep and let us through the pedestrian street, on the bike, without pay.
Once we found Mr Yomoshiro's place, a small village gathering helped explain to us that we are out of luck. With help of the iPhone, we asked for alternate accommodation, and found a less prominent but all the same comfortable alternative Ryokan, across the street.
An hour into our stay, an eclectic group of Japanese youth and an older man, joined us and took over the rest of the house. Things were awkward for a short while and when the ice broke, we had newly found friends.
The fact that we had iPad's with us took the friendship to new heights.
Food was served at 6:30 promptly. It was as elaborate as with the previous Ryokan, but not as expensive in ingredients. Collection of plates on a small tray. My favorite assortment of Daikon, Bamboo shoots and Cucumber pickles included. All crunchy and slightly sour. Just right.
One plate had a grilled Char that has been prepared while we were waiting, on a fire pit in the middle of the room.
The Inn owner artfully laced them on a bamboo skewer and arranged in a circle around the flaming hot charcoal.
The food was delicious. The house treated us to a delicacy, a large soup bowl filled with warm Sake and the last grilled Char, that has been passed around for people to sip from. A communal sake .Bowl with BBQ fish? What a concept.
Back to Poetry talk. Oos an Aahs were expressed with every bite from our Japanese friends. The fragrance of the rice, the taste of the soup and delicious fish where all acknowledged and discussed. After dinner, the older guest, a journalist for a Tokyo paper who rode in on a Honda CBR, invited us all to a stroll along the main drag of the village. There again, the reflection of the houses in the rice fields and moon shining through the clouds, were discussed and admired.
The group didn't know each other before today. They gathered through a tweet of one of them, saying they ad going to Gokayama for the night, and if anyone wanted to join. We were just bystanders.
Off to a good tatami and Futon night. We were so tired, we went to bed at 9.

Day 2 - the ride

It was anything but routine. Driving out from the Ryokan, we started a climb. Up the mountain range that hosted the famous Nagano winter Olimpics. The first leg took us on a twistie road at 3-4000 meters elevation with magnificent views of bamboo meadows and snow top mountain ranges. Plumes of steam rise from the slopes here and there.
Spotted with ski resorts, some with ski runs that were still open. Temperatures dropped to 10c. / 40f on the way. Coming off the Japanese Alps, making sure we do not hit a stray monkey along the road (yes the famous monkeys that hang out in the hot springs, wander on the road between baths),
we drove toward the north westrn coast of Japan.
A couple of hours later and a bowl of steaming tempura Ramen, we got to our destination for the night. Gokayama, a UNESCO heritage listed village. More about our experience there in tomorrow's bit.

Kusatsu onsen ryokan

Room with a view

From Japan Adventure

Wake up wake up my little egg

Gagaga googoogoo this is Day 2

5:30 am
Getting my sleepy head out of bed. Sleeping on a futon on the floor was not so bad after all. Not sure how much the Biru and fatigu contributed to it.
The weatherman predicts rain for today and drop in temperature.
Going to crawl back under the blanket. The room in the ryokan is nippy.

On the road to Kusatsu

Grilled beef in Tokyo

Day 1 - gearing up

We definitely started out in grandeur. After checking in to the Park Hyatt, most famous from the scene in. "Lost in translation",
we have gone out to an exquisite dinner in a Japanese restaurant..
Some of the highlights included an out of this world Hamachi Sashimi, Medium rarer Kobe beef sirloin grilled in a lotus leaf on the table and an amazing bowl of rice, creamy egg, lobster and sea urchin.
All accompanied with a cold semi dry Sake.
This morning, I am off to pick up the bike. If I manage to keep it eventless, We should be able to be on our way by noon
Nagano is our target for today. Mountain twisties and Onsen hot-spring Bath houses. How bad can it be...

7:23 PM
We settled in the Ryokan for our first Onsen and a Futon bed on the Tatami. In other words, we got to the local Motel 6 in Kusatsu, and got to the room with extra hard matress, green tea and a bath with bath water that has been used by the previous guests.
the heated seat on the toilette is the only Ray of light. Safta and I are being brave. We read the book and try and respect the habits of the indigenious habitants of Japan.
It's actualy very cool. We had an amazing drive through the mountains leading to the Ryokan, through rice fields and picturesque villages.
8:30
Dinner was served. Not as good as last night but quite delicious still. Chicken Shabu Shabu, Bamboo rice and Tuna sashimi were my favorites.
In an hour we are going to soak in a hot bath. Yet another first time for the day. Our eyes are heavy. It's been a very long day.

Chapter 2: Packing

It's strange packing for a bike trip that starts somewhere else. Usually when we pack for a trip, we each have our saddle bag and are bound by the available space. We got it down to science on our own bike and are now struggling with how much to take. I think we nailed it again but will find out only when we get to Tokyo late tomorrow. My motto, you can dump access and buy whatever we miss. It's not a big deal either way.

So... why do I care? Not sure.

Chapter 1: Planning

Trip planning is like foreplay. It's wayyyy fun but should not distract you from the purpose of your activity. Enjoy it while it lasts and move on to the main course when the time is right.

The Bike is all sorted out. The routes are plotted and highlights have been identified.

We went through Top Ten books, Japanese top 100 roads, Tony Bourdain's recommended spots as well as Chef Morimoto's favorites.

The kids have been safely deposited with Grandpa and Grandma, accompanied by Mia, our trusted nanny, and with paraphernalia such as dollies, diapers, Swimsuits, Sun tan protection, etc.

We are excited, hyper ventilating, a little bit sweaty... Did I mention foreplay?