Visiting the Homes of the Emperor and the Shogun: Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Imperial Palace, Japan, Kyoto, Nijo Castle, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I decided to visit the Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle during our stay in Kyoto. We didn’t really know much Japanese history but it was still interesting to see the palace and the castle.

Apparently, in 1600, the Tokugawa Shogunate seized power and established a military government in what is now Tokyo. During this time period, the role of the emperor was largely symbolic since the shogun controlled foreign policy, the military, and feudal patronage. Although the government was in Tokyo, the shoguns still frequented Kyoto since it was home to the Imperial Court. Hence, the shoguns built Nijo Castle, which is quite close to the Imperial Palace.

Mr. Selfish and I toured the Imperial Palace first. You can only visit the palace through a tour, which is offered in English or Japanese. You have to bring your passport to the tour office and sign up. We were lucky in that we showed up about 20 minutes before an English tour was to begin and were able to join that tour.

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Yummy Yakitori and Karaage Craziness in Kyoto

31 Friday May 2013

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

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Asia, Chabuya, Chicken, Fukei, Japan, karaage, Kyoto, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years, yakitori

During our first trip to Japan, Mr. Selfish and I learned that Japanese food is quite diverse. We sampled yakitori, karaage, takoyaki, ramen, udon, soba, okonomiyaki, etc. Unfortunately, the majority of Japanese restaurants in the States only serve sushi and some form of teriyaki.

This post is dedicated to the wonderful chicken that we had in Kyoto, specifically the yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers) and karaage (deep fried chicken). I never knew that chicken could be so tender and delicious until I had it in Japan.

Our favorite yakitori place is called Chabuya (炭火焼鳥ちゃぶや), located at ３１０−３ Uradeyamacho. We ate here in 2010 with some locals and knew that we had to return during our selfish year. It is a small, unassuming place that is frequented by locals. Luckily, they have an English menu (though we never saw any other English speakers the two times we were there).

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Visiting Kyoto’s Free Shrines

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Heian Shrine, Inari Shrine, Japan, Kyoto, Kyoto Shrines, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shimogamo Shrine, Yasaka Shrine

As the long time capital of Japan, Kyoto has no shortage of sites. Designated as a UNESCO world-heritage site, Kyoto actually has 17 UNESCO sites within city bounds, and contains roughly 20% of Japan’s National Treasures.

But a lot of these sites cost money – usually 300 – 500 yen a piece, which can add up quickly – especially once you factor in transportation. With that in mind, Mrs. Selfish and I quickly set out to find the best free sites Kyoto had to offer.

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Walking Along the Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Eikando Temple, Ginkakuji, Japan, Kyoto, Nanzenji Temple, Philosopher's Path, Selfish Years, Silver Pavilion, Tenjuan Temple, The Selfish Years

When Mr. Selfish and I visited Japan in 2010, we fell in love with Kyoto and knew that we had to come back. We accordingly spent three wonderful weeks in Kyoto. The city has an astounding amount of places to visit – in fact, 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. Not surprisingly, we never ran out of things to see.

One of our favorite places in Kyoto was the Philosopher’s Path, which is a two-kilometer stone path that Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan’s most famous philosophers, supposedly walked every day to meditate. The path starts at Ginkakuji, which is also known as the Silver Pavilion, and ends at Nanzenji Temple.

The Silver Pavilion, for which admission is 500 yen, is not actually covered in silver. Its name was meant to contrast it from the Golden Pavilion, which is covered in gold. The Silver Pavilion is located next to a dry sand garden. Mr. Selfish and I sat and admired the view of the Silver Pavilion from the sand garden.

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Lovin’ Japan Already!

25 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan

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Asia, Day Trips, Fukuoka, Japan, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kurokawa, Kyoto, Mount Koya, Nara, Osaka, Selfish Years, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I arrived in Kyoto last night and are staying in an apartment here for a glorious 22 nights. After so much fast traveling through China and Korea, we were glad to unpack our bags, do some laundry, and buy some groceries to make home cooked meals.

We started our trip in Japan at Fukuoka for one night and then went to Kurokawa, which is an amazing onsen town, for two nights. After Kyoto, we’ll visit Kanazawa for a couple of nights and then Tokyo for two weeks.

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Flashback Friday – Japanese Food

04 Friday Jan 2013

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

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Aronia de Takazawa, Flashback, Flashback Friday, Go Go Curry, Japan, Kyoto, Ramen, Tokyo, Udon, wagyu, wagyu beef, yakitori

Orlando had limited Japanese food offerings. The vast majority of it was sushi, and there was one good ramen place. So, when Mr. Selfish and I went to Japan in 2009, we sampled all sorts of Japanese food.

First, we sampled plenty of udon and ramen. Each time, the broths were so flavorful that you could tell it had been cooked for a looooong time.

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Flashback Friday – Inari Shrine Near Kyoto

23 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Flashback, Japan

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Asia, Flashback, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Inari Shrine, Japan, Kyoto

In 2010, Mr. Selfish and I took our first trip to Japan. We loved Kyoto. In fact, we loved it so much that we’re planning on staying there for a month during our selfish year.

One of the most memorable sites we visited was the Fushimi Inari Taisha, which is an Inari shrine a little outside of Kyoto. The Inari shrine was built to honor the Shinto god of rice and is typically represented by a fox.