Fire Ceremony at Tanukidanisan Fudo-In

On Tuesday, November 3rd Wali, Maria, Courtney and I went to Kyoto with Wali's class to attend a fire ceremony at temple built on Tanukidanisan.  It was so amazing and I took some of my most favorite pictures that day.  We arrived in Kyoto and it was the coldest day I have experienced in Japan so far.  It was very sunny outside, but still freezing.  We took a taxi to the mountain where we saw several monks wearing ceremonial garb at the bottom of the mountain.  Their outfits were very detailed with fur pelts and all.  We started the walk up the mountain and the scenery was spectacular.  It was misty and felt magical as we walked up.  We saw many tanuki statues all over the place. 

We made it to the temple that was even more elevated from the mountain.  There were colorful flags flying and it was definitely the least commercialized temple I have seen.  We ascended towards the temple up stairs along a stone wall.  We waited for a little while until the ceremony started.  They had several teapots full of hot tea for everyone to drink. That tea really saved my life in that cold weather. They also gave out mochi treats that were dusted with cinnamon. They were delicious. The ceremony started inside the temple, but it was hard for us see what was going on, but we did see the first flame of the day lit in the big room.  The monks lined up and slowly made their way down the stairs where a large dome shaped pile of green leaves waited.  The high priest was adorned in bright orange and another monk held a beautiful red umbrella over him as he walked down the stairs.  The ceremony was filled with continuous drumming and with a really awesome beat.  The monks acted out many things, but my favorite was one of them shooting arrows into the forest with a bow and arrow.  Eventually, two men wielding large sticks lit the mound of leaves on fire.  It went up in a blaze!  Smoke started billowing out the top and soon the entire dome was engulfed in flames revealing its wooden skeletal core.  With the sound of the drumming and ashes flying through the air hitting the sunlight, it was truly breathtaking.  We decided to walk down to get closed to the fire and I guess because I was so mesmerized by the ceremony I didn't realize my feet were completely numb.  It started to drizzle so we went back up to the temple and Maria huddled together for warmth.  After a little more time passed the ceremony came to a close.  They started taking down the bamboo that had fenced off the ceremonial area and threw it into the fire also.  The bamboo will make a very loud popping noise as each compartment in the stalk explodes due to the heat.  It also releases a white goo, it is pretty cool to hear and see.  We thanked the monks and left the temple.  We hung out with Wali's class for a little longer and then Maria, Courtney, and I left to explore Kyoto.  We were in search of a good meal and boy did we find it.  We stumbled upon a Brazilian Churrascuria that faced a pretty canal.  They didn't open until later so we did a little shopping and headed back.  We were starving by the time we got back.  The setup they had that wasn't even the meat was amazing.  They had all the things we were missing living in Japan like beans with stewed pork, potatoes, mixed green salads, and verde cream sauces.  All the meat they carved for us was delicious also.  We had a mix of mouthwatering pork, beef, chicken, and sausage.  We sat by the window and watched the sun set on Kyoto.  It was a beautiful day.

Kobe: Home of Marbleized Heaven

The first time I went to Kobe on October 24th was on a field trip of sorts with the Japan and Globalization class from Kansai Gaidai.  I'm not in the class, but tagged along with Thai and Maria.  Kobe is a really cool city and very different from anywhere else I had been in Japan.  Since it is a port city, there is a lot of European influence most recognizably in the architecture.  Kobe also has an amazing Chinatown with excellent street vendor foods.  I ate a delicious Peking duck stuffed pancake and freshly fried shrimp crackers (krupuk). 

One of the things at the top of my list was to eat Kobe beef while in Japan and better yet in Kobe.  On the field trip outing, I didn't get a chance to eat Kobe beef so I vowed to return.  With only a few weeks left in Japan, I knew time was running out.  I knew that Thai wanted to eat Kobe beef as well so we made plans to go on Saturday December, 5th.  We decided to go for lunch because Kobe beef is pricey and it is a little cheaper during lunchtime.  There might be a few people reading this that don't know what Kobe beef is or what the big deal is about it.  Let me explain, Kobe beef  is from the Tajima breed of Wagyu Japanese black cattle.  To bear the name Kobe Beef it must meet strict regulations such as: the cow must be the Tajima breed born in Hyogo Prefecture, farm raised in Hyogo Prefecture, have a specific marbling ratio, and many other guidelines.  The cows are fed beer daily and massaged with sake to produce one of the most well known meats in the world.  I picked Mouriya restaurant because it had been in operation for over 100 years and won several awards for their cattle.  We arrived at the restaurant which was very small.  There was the teppen (gas powered iron plate where they cook everything) on the right side, a row of chairs around it, and four or five tables on the opposite side.  Thai and I were advised to go upstairs, apparently the place was a lot bigger than it looked.  We went to the second floor and sat at one of the tables.  Our waitress spoke perfect English which was nice in case we had any questions about the beef.  We both decided on the Kobe beef sirloin steak.  We watched the chef prepare all the other patron's beef, it was amazing.  The beef was so tender that it pulled apart on its own and he barely cut it with a knife.  We also ordered beef tataki (sliced rare beef) and it was unbelievable.  The meat melted in your mouth.  They served it with lemon soy sauce, and slices of onion and garlic.  We got soup, salad, rice, and bread with our meals also.  Everything was exceptional.  The waitress brought our piece of beef on a wooden block to make sure we approved before it was cooked.  Kobe beef is so cool looking, there isn't any fatty pieces just the white marbling all throughout.  We watched the chef prepare our meat and he was like a surgeon as he cut it into small pieces.  It was brought to our table and we said our "Itadakimasu!" with excitement.  The first bite was indescribable, but I will try.  It was so tender, more like the consistency of tuna sashimi.  It only took one or two bites before it pretty much melted away.  Each bite let out huge amounts of juice and flavor.  It was the best meat I have ever eaten.  It was served with grilled vegetables and crispy garlic chips.  The restaurant recommends eating it with just a touch of salt that they provide in a little dollop on the iron skillet the beef is served on.  I liked it with a single garlic chip on top.  I was extremely satisfied after eating when they served me the most perfect after-lunch coffee.  It was such a memorable eating experience.  After Thai and I left Kobe, I went home and went into a Kobe beef coma.  It was the most restful sleep.  Thank you, Kobe!