Japan: The Food

I couldn't possibly not write about the AMAZING food we had in Japan. And not just the Japanese food...every kind of cuisine we ate there was phenomenal. If I had to pick a few favorites though, they would be:

The sashimi-tacos at Nobu were so innovative & tasty; the Kobe steak at New York grill (Ueno) was simply the best meat ever; the mayo-garlic sushi at Sushi Inawa (Tsukiji Market) was the most creative sushi we tasted; Gonpachi at Shibuya had amazing Japanese tapas (who knew there was such a thing as Japanese tapas!); and Coco Curry House wins as the best fast food restaurant in my opinion: a menu full of katsu curries & rice make for great dinner after a tiring cold day. P.s: I may have put on a bit of weight after this trip :(

The mom-son trip to Japan

K & I went on a 10-days trip to Japan. He is almost 5-years old now & at an interesting age - he enjoys travel, but hates sightseeing; we share great conversations, but he has to pick the topic; he is great at experimenting with food, but decides whether or not he wants to try something new based on how it looks. It was a special trip that I'm going to cherish forever (he will probably forget all about it in a years time).

My top 5 favourite K moments of the trip:

1) We walked along the sakura-laden 'Philosophers Path' from the beautiful Ginkakuji temple in Kyoto, when K asked me what philosophy meant. After having digested my loose definition of philosophy, he posed his own philosophical questions. 

2) I forgot my expensive Nikon camera in a taxi in Kyoto & was almost in tears when I realized it's lost. Sensitive to my mood, K put his hands around my legs & comforted me with a "It's ok mama, it was a mistake. Just say sorry to me & you'll feel better."

3) While at the ancient Samurai home in Nijo Castle, we experienced our first snowfall. It was a light snowfall & we didn't get to witness any snowy landscapes, but it was something to remember. For the both of us.

4) K was keenly looking forward to travelling in the Japanese Shinkansen (his love for trains and all things high speed is unequivocal). Having stepped into one though, he was quite disappointed. "This feels like a normal slow train. Why are we not moving like a bullet?"

5) The day we spent at Nara Park was his favourite day of the trip. The town is full of wild deer - they're everywhere! Not unused to humans walking amongst them, the deer can be quite brave sometimes snatching food from your hands. K had a great time feeding, petting and shooing away the deer.