Thursday, January 10, 2008

Kyoto III

After seeing the Roman aqueduct, we rode back in to downtown and wandered around Pontocho alley. Back in the days when Kyoto was the capital of Japan, Pontocho alley was on the other side of the river, officially outside city limits. Officials and visitors would cross the bridge over from Gion for debauchery, and pretend it all wasn't happening in the capital. (All the historical signs around the alley cite it's long history as a "gay area" where people met to meet prostitutes. I think somehow the distinction between a 'gay district' and a 'red light district' got a bit blurred in translation.) When we arrived there, it was just getting dark, and the narrow streets, lined with restaurants and well-lit signs, were just coming to life. It's still a major going-out area for young Kyoto residents, and reminded me a bit of the Latin Quarter in Paris.

After a while, Rachel and I realized we were in an actual red light district (some things need no translation) and headed back to the main road. We stopped at a little bar/restaurant off the main road. When we saw that the place was nearly empty, we intended to just get a drink and some sashimi and then go elsewhere for dinner. The owner had other plans, and prepared a delicious meal, course by course. I think, in the end, it was my favorite meal I ate in Japan.

It began with tuna and mackerel sashimi, and I'd finally gotten acclimated enough to enjoy it (I've missed it since getting home). It also came with delicious, very fresh-tasting leaves to wrap it in. Next, he served oden, something I've been fascinated by in convenience stores, but don't have the communication skills to order. Next to check out in Japanese convenience stores, right next to the sweet bean mochi, is a big tub of heated broth with stewed fish cakes, boiled egg, daikon (radish), etc, floating in it. After the oden, we had a thumb-sized bit of carefully cooked chicken, followed by tempura eggplant, green beans, and the same fresh-tasting leaf. I'd never really think of frying those vegetables, but I'd love to learn how now. The meal inevitably ended with rice, and green tea ice cream. We were glad we'd apparently lost agency. The owner-- who was quite young and had World Cup paraphenial all over his restaurant-- adopted the greviances of a much older man. He was distressed that young Japanese people prefered Chu-hi to sake and conventional entertainment to the traditional.

Our hotel that night had co-ed floors and women's floors. As women traveling along, we were shuttled off to the woman's floor, which had careful signs on the door leading to the elevator which made it absolutely clear no men could escape through. The hotel room had a 1950s style decor, as well as button-up light brown pajamas for the guests.

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