たかまつせんいち
Travel to Koyasan and Kyoto with GW... In Kyoto, we stayed at a place located by the Uji River, where the sound of the stream is soothing. This inn is just a 3-minute walk from the World Heritage Site, Byodoin Temple, along the "Ajirogi no Michi". As soon as you enter the lobby, the breathtaking view of the Uji River catches your eye... It's so beautiful that you can't help but be amazed! In spring, you can see cherry blossoms, in summer, lush greenery, in autumn, colorful leaves, and in winter, a snowy landscape... It's a magnificent view that seems to capture the changing seasons all in one. From the room where we stayed tonight, we could fully enjoy the view of the Uji River. This time, we upgraded our room with an internet early bird discount... It had a terrace with a view of the Uji River and To-no-shima Island right in front of us... Furthermore, the room came with a semi-open-air bath~! Of course, the inn also had a communal bath for guests, which bath enthusiasts would find irresistible~! And now, for the evening's delight~! For dinner, we dined at a private dining area... This time, we focused all our efforts on the room upgrade plan, so we had the standard kaiseki meal~! Even so, the content was wonderful~! First, we had a starter... Followed by various small dishes, such as Yuba (tofu skin) and Ului (a type of river fish) simmered in broth. Next was sashimi, featuring tuna and yellowtail... The tuna was sweet, and the yellowtail was firm and delicious~! Then, we had a clear soup with white fish, sesame tofu, and uguisuna (a type of vegetable)... The combination of the white fish's flavor and the sweetness of the sesame tofu was delightful. After that, we had a simmered dish... There was something that looked like a piece of fried tofu but was actually named "Daitokuji" and had a great texture and taste. The seasoning was refined and delicious... truly Kyoto-style~! Next up was the fried dish... Tempura with shrimp, bamboo shoots, and a vegetable called "Kogomi" that we had never tried before but found delicious. It had a slightly sticky texture and a subtle green scent reminiscent of warabi (bracken fern), making it quite tasty. And now, the hot pot that we had set up at the beginning was ready... Yuba hot pot~! The thick and chewy yuba had a satisfying texture, and the flavor of the beans was fully enjoyed. It was a delicious hot pot~! After that, we had a grilled dish... Saury with yuzu citrus and Usui beans, which were like large peas with a sweet taste. It was quite popular in Kyoto and tasted delicious. And now... each dish that came out one by one made us feel surprisingly full, even though the portions were not large. The colorful and delicious dishes brought a high level of satisfaction. As the meal neared its end, we were served a warm dish called "Chawanmushi" to settle our stomachs and mark a pause in the succession of dishes. The chawanmushi had a gentle flavor with fewer shrimp and mushrooms, offering a comforting and reassuring taste. And for the finale... the rice dish had tea leaves on top, creating a dish called "Hachacha Meshi" as noted on the menu. It had a wonderful aroma, typical of Uji in Kyoto~! It was a delightful dish~! Lastly, for dessert, we had kiwi and kashiwa mochi, and the evening's feast came to an end... The standard kaiseki meal exceeded all expectations and left us fully satisfied. The next morning's breakfast...