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Where to Spot Geishas in Kyoto

26 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Geisha, Gion, Japan, Kyoto, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Where to spot Geishas

During our Selfish Year, we spent 43 days in Japan, in places like Fukouka, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Tokyo. During our time in that fair city we finally made it to Harajuku’s legendary Cosplayer meet up.

Basically you show up at the Northern Exit of Harajuku station on Sunday between 1pm – 2:30pm. If you’re in the area and love taking pictures, I highly recommend it.

While I thought cosplayers in Tokyo were fairly rare, spotting a geisha in Kyoto proved to be an even rarer event. We spent a mind-boggling 23 days in Kyoto near the Gion district (the part of Kyoto where one is supposed to see geishas), and never saw one.

NOT ONE.

This time, however, we got lucky. Spotting not one, not two, but TWELVE geishas in the span of 5 nights. Totally crazy and I’ll share with you how and where we spotted them today.

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Baby Selfish’s 1st International Trip: Japan!

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, Hilton, Hyatt, Japan, Kyoto, Tokyo

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Baby Selfish, Japan, Kyoto, Nara, Park Hyatt Tokyo, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo

Mrs. Selfish and I decided to take our Selfish Year journey as an end cap to our fading young-adult years. We had always enjoyed traveling as young professionals, and decided a year abroad together would be a great way to “get it out of our systems” prior to having a kid.

Boy were we wrong.

A year later and I’m more addicted to traveling than ever. In fact, after settling in San Francisco, we ended up spending over 3 of the next 15 months outside of the country.

So when we found out Mrs. Selfish was pregnant, I immediately did what any other miles & points enthusiast would do in my shoes and started planning Baby Selfish’s first international trip.

Yep, back to Japan!

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Slurping Udon, Soba, and Ramen in Kyoto

17 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kakutani, Kissyoumaru, Kyoto, Marugame Udon, Noodles, Ramen, Soba, Udon

Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed our fair share of noodles while in Kyoto. We loved the variety of udon (thick wheat flour noodle), soba (thin buckwheat noodle), and ramen (thin wheat noodle) shops all around the city. In particular, we enjoyed the following three noodle shops.

First, we loved the customizable udon at Marugame Udon (located at Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Kawaramachi-dori, Sanjo-sagaru, Daikoku-cho 54-1). The first step is to choose the type of udon you want from ten different types. Mr. Selfish and I tried three types: (1) udon with a raw egg and a dipping sauce, (2) udon with a curry broth, and (3) udon with broth. They were all delicious and made fresh on the premises.

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Visiting the Temples in the North: The Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji, Ninnaji, and Myoshinji

16 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Golden Pavilion, Japan, Kinkakuji, Kyoto, Myoshinji, Ninnaji, Ryoanji, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I visited the iconic Golden Pavilion (aka Kinkakuji), which is a Zen temple covered in gold leaf. Just like everything else in Kyoto, the temple has burned down several times during its history. This latest version of the Golden Pavilion was built in 1955.

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Getting Fishy in Kyoto

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Eel, Japan, Kyoto, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sushi

When a lot of us think of Japanese food, our first inclination is to think of sushi. And it’s true. Sushi is very popular outside of Japan – chances are that the city or town you live in has at least one sushi restaurant, if not dozens.

It turns out the type of sushi we have in the States, is not true sushi (shocker!). In the States, rolls rule, and while you occasionally see them in Japan they are not the multicolored-monstrosities stuffed with cream cheese and avocado you find in North America. Nor is Japanese seafoor just sashimi and sushi.

So Mrs. Selfish and I decided we’d undertake a crash course in Japanese seafood, for the sake of our readers, of course.

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Nothing Says Japanese Night Life like Whiskey and Karaoke!

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Hello Dolly, Japan, Kyoto, Samurai Cafe & Bar

Pontocho-dori is a street in the historic Gion district of Kyoto that looks like it’s been there since the city was founded. It probably has, in all honesty, but the fact that it still looks that way is an sign of how expensive it can be.

The street is narrow and windy, and while it gives off an old-world Japan feel, the restaurants are surprisingly modern and often international. Mrs. Selfish and I ended up eating one meal here just for atmosphere, but after getting hit with an unexpected sitting fee (and really, where else are you eating?), we decided to save it as more of a late night destination.

Good thing, too, since it Pontocho-dori is gorgeous at night.

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Reliving the Johnnie Hillwalker Tour in Kyoto

13 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Higashi-Honganji, Japan, Johnnie Hillwalker Tour, Kyoto, Kyoto Station, Nintendo, Nishi Honganji, Ramen, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years, Toyokuni Shrine

Back in 2010, Mr. Selfish and I went on the Johnnie Hillwalker tour of Kyoto. It’s a five hour walking tour taking you through the back streets of Kyoto. The tour starts at Kyoto station and ends in Higashiyama near Kiyomizu Temple. It was a fun walk and only cost about 2,000 yen per person. I highly recommend it.

This time around, we decided to primarily visit the same sights on our own. Our apartment was in Higashiyama so we did the tour backwards and ended at Kyoto Station. First, we went to Toyokuni Shrine, which was built in 1599. This Shinto shrine is dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was a famous warrior and general and was best known as being responsible for the restriction that only the samurai class could bear arms.

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Monks, Monkeys, and Moss: Visiting Arashiyama

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Adashino Nenbutsuji, Arashiyama, Japan, Kyoto, Otaginenbutsuji, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

When looking up pictures of Kyoto, I kept stumbling across the same picture – an arresting grove of bamboo.

Having previously visited Kyoto, I felt this couldn’t be accurate. After all, if Kyoto had had something this beautiful, shouldn’t we have heard of it and visited last time?

No, apparently. The bamboo grove was just one of the many spectacular sites of Arashiyama – a beautiful area located on the western outskirts of Kyoto.

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Sake it to me!

11 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Japan, Kyoto, Sake, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Prior to coming to Japan, I knew absolutely nothing about sake. Oh, I’d ordered it a few times from our local sushi restaurant, but all I knew was that sake was made from fermented rice, and that you should always drink good sake cold (and drink bad sake hot to hide the impurities).

So when Mrs. Selfish told me she had booked a tour of the Yamamoto Honke Sake Brewery, I was pretty excited.

Be warned – there is a lot of educational information about sake ahead!

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Climbing Mount Kurama Near Kyoto

10 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Japan, Kurama-dera, Kyoto, Mount Kurama, Selfish Years, Tengu, The Selfish Years, Yuki Shrine

Mr. Selfish and I decided to take a short day trip to Mount Kurama, which is about a half an hour train ride away from Kyoto. Mount Kurama is a mountain that is northwest to the city and is the birthplace of Reiki practice, which is a form of alternative medicine.

The most popular attraction on Mount Kurama is the Kurama-dera, which is a Buddhist temple. Apparently, Kurama-dera is quite popular with Japanese tourists since it has an aura of mystery and occult associated with it. In particular, it is still believed today that tengu and other mountains spirits live in the area. Tengu are mythical creatures with human and avian characteristics, which are often depicted with large noses.

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Will the Real Wagyu Beef Please Stand Up?

09 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Beef Cutlet, Beef Cutlet Sandwich, Food & Drinks, Hafuu, Inoda Coffee, Japan, Kobe Beef, Kyoto, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years, wagyu, wagyu beef, Wagyu Cutlet, Wagyu Cutlet Sandwich

After all of the controversy about Kobe beef not actually being Kobe beef in the States, Mr. Selfish and I decided to have some wagyu beef while in Kyoto. Wagyu beef is notoriously expensive. We decided to have some katsu wagyu beef sandwiches, which are a little less expensive but still a bit costly. We tried two place, and both were delectable.

First, we went to Hafuu (located at 471-1 Sasayacho, Nakagyoku, Kyoto), which was well-know for its wagyu takeout sandwiches. Each sandwich was 1,800 yen and completely worth it.

The beef was perfectly cooked and melted. The sandwich also had lettuce, tomatoes, and a heavenly sweet but savory sauce. It was as wagyu should be. I’ll be sad when we leave Japan and all we have our supposed “Kobe” beef.

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The Most Expensive and Most Difficult to Get Into Sight in Kyoto: The Moss Temple

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Japan, Kokedera, Kyoto, Moss Temple, Saihoji Temple, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years

Since Mr. Selfish and I were in Kyoto for three weeks, we wanted to visit some of the more obscure and difficult sights. The most expensive and most difficult to get into sight in Kyoto is the Moss Temple, which is also known as Saihoji Temple or Kokedera. Admission costs a whopping 3,000 yen (~$30 USD).

You can only visit the Moss Temple by mailing a special reply postcard requesting a reservation at least 7 days in advance. Your postcard should indicate: (1) your name and address, (2) the number of people in your party, and (3) the date(s) on which you are available to visit the temple. Your postcard should also include a stamped and self-addressed postcard, which the temple will return to you with your scheduled date and time. In Japan, you can request this type of special reply postcard at the post office; it is known as ofuku hagaki. The Moss temple’s address is: Saihoji Temple, 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8286, Japan.

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Hiding from the Rain in the Kyoto International Manga Museum

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Japan, Katsuya Terada, Kyoto, Kyoto International Manga Museum, Manga, Manga Museum, Selfish Years, Sketchtravel, Sugar Sugar Rune, The Selfish Years

My good friend, Devon, recommended a temporary exhibit at the Kyoto International Manga Museum to me. I’m not really into manga (Japanese comics). However, due to a confluence of circumstances (proximity of the museum to an udon restaurant, the fact that Mr. Selfish’s sister was visiting, and the constant rain that day), we actually went to the manga museum.

Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed the museum. The museum has three stories and is primarily a huge manga library. There were tons of locals, including families and couples, reading manga. The library section also contains an exhibit on the history of manga, which was quite well-done. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside. I did sneak a couple though.

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Enjoying Desserts and Coffee in Kyoto

03 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Coffee, Desserts, Efish, Food & Drinks, Ice Cream, Japan, Karafuneya, Kinako, Kyoto, Parfaits, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I have quite a sweet tooth. We learned while in Kyoto that the Japanese also have an affinity for sweet desserts.

First, we went to Kinako (祇園きなな), which is located at Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Gion-machi Minami-gawa 570-119, for the best soy bean ice cream ever. It was quite simple but smooth and packed full of flavor. We also had Berry Berry Kinana parfait, which was visually pretty but had too many different components that were all competing with one another. I found the soy bean ice cream to be more than sufficient for my ice cream palate.

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Exploring Higashiyama and the Kiyomizu Shrine

02 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Higashiyama, Kiyomizu Shrine, Kyoto, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

When looking at apartments in Kyoto, Mrs. Selfish and I decided we wanted to stay somewhere that was decidedly old world. After all, we were staying in one of Japan’s oldest cities, so what was the point of renting a sleek apartment?

In the end we settled on a place in the Higashiyama ward, a culturally protected area with tons of traditional style buildings. While the apartment itself was not in the traditional style, we were in an excellent location to explore some of Kyoto’s more beautiful (if not heavily touristed) streets.

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