japan excursion

matt and i visited japan for a couple of weeks.  we checked out big cities on the well-worn tourist path, mostly staying in tokyo and kyoto.  (we also spent a night near mt. fuji and in osaka.)  it was hot and humid.  good times were had.

• delicious and memorable food.  highlights include a splurge at yuzuya ryokan in kyoto;  ramen at nagi in shibuya;  cold soba noodles in ginza;  tea flavored plum wine at a quiet bar in ebisu;  unagi in kyoto;  sweets everywhere;  heaping bowls of ramen and udon in osaka;  eating over a gushing river near kibune shrine and much more...
• the sights!  in (and around) tokyo, checked out the chaotic tsukiji fish market, ghibili museum, museum of emerging science and innovation, and the ramen museum.  in (and around) kyoto, we escaped the crowds at eikando temple; took a nice walk between the shrines in kibune and kurama;  walked underneath the many red gates of fushimi inari shrine; scrambled up a hidden hill in nara;  played with the monkeys and wandered the bamboo groves in arashiyama.
  
• while the sights were intereresting, everyday experiences made japan memorable!  it was a delight to travel on super-efficient railways (shinkansen bullet train), also frustrating to be lost around massive train stations.  it was fun to try out all the vending machine drinks, marvel at the toilets, pay for food and tickets at computer terminals.  we stumbled upon cute boutiques and handicraft shops, but also hostess bars and love hotels as we wandered around different neighborhoods.  we also took many japenese-style baths -- a public onsen near kyoto, the communal and private baths at the inn.
  

i thought a lot about where my ideas of japan come from -- haruki murakami books, anime & manga, animated films of my childhood, nintendo and consumer electronics, iron chef, san francisco sushi restaurants, and college history classes.  i'm not sure visiting japan dispelled any "myths", but it was interesting to finally see this place, of which i have so many strong impressions!

the days fly by

how i spent the week:

• checked out bernal establishments. sandwiches at avedano's meats and empanadas at 331 cortland.
  
• map & compass class.
• yoga and jogging.
• painted a section of the wall in the house.
  
• read graphic novels. burmese chronicles and fun house. both excellent.
• made lemon cake, beef stock, braised short ribs.
• japan and john muir trail planning.
• hunting and gathering. looked for morels in the sierras with bryan and company. (awesome but tiring!) picked cherries and peaches with matt and friends.

update

• matt's parents visited us last, last weekend.  a lot of home improvement projects, alemeny farmer's market, maker faire, and many delicious things eaten -- mama's, vega, emmy's spagetti shack :)
• caught up with friends.  home cooked dinner with kat, fresca with shira, bakesale betty with eugene, mall date with annie during johann's wedding
• texas.  started an oven mitt, blackberry picking, art show, sex and the city 2, wandered around the "bishop arts district", chinese food, freddy's frozen custard, and hanging out at linford's new house.
• the rest of my summer looks like this:  6/10 - 6/24: japan, 6/30 - 7/22: john muir trail, 7/25 - 8/1: deleware, 8/14 - 8/21: roadtrip across USA (tentative, still)