Treats from Japan

Toji temple's wooden pagoda, Kyoto. Typically Kyoto, said our guide. This five-storeyed pagoda (can't see the fifth) is usually used as a stock image to represent Kyoto. I took many shots of this, but this was the best. Though the wooden detail of the pagoda is not clear, I am glad for the silhouette-like effect framed by the bare trees of winter.

Dessert at Kyoto dinner. I was told this was made of sea weed. The oranges were okay, it was great plain too!

Rice with bonito fish and pickled vegetables

At this restaurant we were taken to, our places were set with various condiments and cutlery in anticipation of the meal. To accompany each place setting was a little origami bird, perfectly crafted. Our guide then proceeded to make this origami piano for us - one of the simplest, she said, as we reminisced about paper boats and floating them in rainwater.

The restaurant was chosen because it afforded us a meeting with this lady. She is 18, has finished junior high, and has tried hard to improve her English but failed, she said. Our guide interpreted for us.

Thanksgiving and prayer. Among all the requests in wood, this one stood out for its English. At the Kiyomizu temple, Kyoto.

Window dressing at a Kyoto restaurant

We designed our own T-shirts. Okay, with the help of a stencil. It was still a great kick.

A wintry afternoon in Kyoto. I tried to capture rows and rows of bare trees several times throughout my visit. This was my only success.

Fruit and seaweed of various kinds in dessert. At a Chinese restaurant, Kyoto.

Rice porridge at the same restaurant.

Radish wrapped in cabbage, gluten flowers and other vegetables.

Soya chicken and stir-fried vegetables

Soya ham, tofu and cabbage wrapped in seaweed

Kinkaku-ji, or Golden Pavilion, Kyoto. It didn't strike me so much when I looked at it but once the photos came through, it seemed such a picture-perfect setting.

Another view of Kinkaku-ji/Golden Pavilion, Kyoto. I fell in love with those stark trees.

Yuba (tofu skin) at an Osaka restaurant

This is a view of the Namba area in Osaka, from the 20th floor of my hotel.

Mushroom in miso soup. I found a great variety of mushrooms in Japan.

Dumplings at the Chinese restaurant, Kyoto. The white one had a plum filling, the yellow pumpkin.

Bento box lunch, all vegetarian, Osaka

Gotcha! Successful with chopsticks

Tabletop cooking, at a drive-in en route to work

Mushrooms over rice, full of texture, nice and bland

Chowanmushi, savoury egg custard with mushroom and shrimp

Typical street at night, Osaka

Advertising, Namba, Osaka. I don't know what the sign says.

Please send in your entries for AFAM-Pomegranate. Please remember the deadline is Feb 25, 2008. I am having a big problem with a capricious Internet connection so may not be able to reply promptly or visit your blogs immediately - please bear with me.


Japan Japanese food Kyoto Osaka Travel