You can take a break in a calm atmosphere just by going a little deeper. After walking a lot, I ordered a beer and udon because I was hungry. It was late September and starting to cool down, so enjoying a beer and cold udon in the garden while feeling the autumn sun was the best.

Arashiyama, enjoying the autumn leaves at Jozan Kogen-ji Temple. The autumn leaves at Jozan Kogen-ji Temple are at their peak. This temple is built on the mountainside, and the color of the trees varies depending on the sunlight. Green, yellow, orange, vermilion, red... the gradation is beautiful. The overlapping gradation of light is also mesmerizing. After spending a moment where all senses are lost and forgetting when or where it is... "I'm tired..." the sense returns. "Huh? It smells good..." the sense of smell returns as well. Found a tea house nearby to take a break. This shop is in a quiet location, almost like a hidden gem, but it's perfect for a break in front of Jozan Kogen-ji Temple. It's like a beach house. Inside the building, you can also eat, but sitting under the two red umbrellas in the small garden is a picturesque spot. Now, to satisfy my hunger, I ordered the "Sansai Udon" for 800 yen and to soothe my tiredness, the sweet treat "Chestnut Zenzai" for 700 yen. Honestly, I didn't have high expectations given the prices, but the broth is surprisingly delicious. It's more of a white dashi flavor rather than soy sauce, and the grated yam adds a nice taste. The udon itself is like the affordable ones you can find at supermarkets, but even its lack of firmness matches well. It's different from the Osaka udon I've been eating lately, but it's delicious. My sense of taste has fully returned. The zenzai has a nice texture with bits of red beans. The sweetness is just right, not too much, and it soothes the tired body. While it may not be worth a special trip, it's a must-visit spot during autumn leaf viewing. It was a relaxing moment in a charming atmosphere. Thank you for the meal.

After passing through the bamboo grove path from Arashiyama and finishing the visit to Jozan Koji-ji Temple, it was just about lunchtime. Right near the temple gate, there was a charming shop called "Ogura Teahouse." Seeing the sign saying "closed" and the menu underneath, I decided to have lunch there. The gentle atmosphere of the proprietress matched the ambiance of this shop perfectly. I was the first customer, but soon more people started coming in and it became full. First, I had a Kyoto craft beer made with Yamada Nishiki rice, which is a sake brewing suitable rice. It was a refreshing and smooth beer. I ordered the mountain vegetable udon for my meal. There were various udon options on the menu, but I chose the one that highlighted the flavors of the mountain vegetables. The udon was smooth and slippery, with plenty of mountain vegetables and tororo kelp. The broth was also excellent. The shichimi spice container shaped like a persimmon was cute. They also had various sweets like zenzai, Abekawa mochi, warabi mochi, and tokoroten. It would be nice to take a break in the garden with matcha and sweets as well.

Eating outside has a very nice atmosphere! The taste is also delicious!!! For those visiting Arashiyama for sightseeing, please be sure to visit!!

I was a little hungry, so it was just right.

I went for a walk in Arashiyama, Sagano in Kyoto over the weekend. When I got tired from walking, I noticed a red parasol in front of Jozanji Temple, famous for its autumn leaves, and decided to stop by in the early afternoon. I ordered the Chikara Udon and matcha tea. I thought it was nonsense to expect good food at a touristy tea house, but the udon broth was surprisingly delicious, and I was a little impressed (laughs). Just as the customers dwindled, I had a lively conversation with the landlady, who told me that the broth was passed down directly from a famous udon shop in Kyoto. She also mentioned that they use fried tofu from Morika, a nearby shop. She laughed, saying, "We don't make much profit, just expenses" (laughs). Arashiyama is crowded with tourists, but if you walk a little further north through the bamboo forest, you'll find the serene scenery of Sagano and Torii Moto, typical of Kyoto. How about trying the udon at Ogura Chaya in this calm atmosphere?

After leaving Jizogu Koji Temple and stepping out onto the main road, we came across this restaurant. It was lunchtime and we were tired from going up and down the stone steps, so we decided to take a break and went inside. The restaurant had a very atmospheric feel that could only be found in a historic town. When we opened the dignified sliding door and entered the cool air-conditioned interior, it felt like coming back to life (laughs). We ordered the cold soba noodles because that's what we were craving on a hot day. It was delicious. The menu also had sweet treats like zenzai, and we couldn't resist ordering shaved ice as well!

Kyoto, Arashiyama. Jozanji Temple, which has been known as a famous spot for autumn leaves since ancient times. Located on the beautiful hillside of Ogurayama, the temple was named for the elegant atmosphere reminiscent of playing in the light of the autumn leaves. The garden of this temple is truly breathtaking, with an archway of 200 maple trees and intricate wood carvings. The small and modest main gate, along with the perfectly designed garden, create a charming contrast. After leaving Jozanji Temple and walking a bit along the mountain gate, you will come across this shop. "Ogura Teahouse" is a perfect place to take a break. Along the stone wall lining the slope, a small flag flutters on a thin bamboo pole, with the words "Resting Place, Ogura Teahouse." You can enjoy sweets and udon noodles in the main house at the back. Since we had plans for lunch elsewhere, we tried the tea along with Kuzumochi and Abekawa. The Abekawa was delicious, with soft and hot mochi and a fragrant scent of roasted soybean flour. It was a generous portion but light and easy to eat. We also had some matcha, which was just okay but warmed our hearts. The surrounding trees around the shop are also beautiful. It's a lovely place where you can spend a heartwarming moment. In addition to sweets, they also offer udon noodles. Prices range from 450 yen for Tokoroten to 700 yen for Chikara Udon.

Near Kyoto's Arashiyama area. Due to a TV broadcast about autumn leaves, "Jozanji Temple" was packed with people. The temple grounds are on a mountainside with lots of stairs! But as you climb up, you can see Kyoto city below, which was beautiful. Right in front of Jozanji Temple is "Ogura Teahouse." Around 1:30 PM, it was full as we passed by, but when we came out around 3 PM after sightseeing, both the indoor and outdoor seating were available. Since it was warm with little wind, we chose to sit outside. We ordered "zenzai" and "ousu (matcha)." Zenzai had plenty of large red beans, not too sweet, and piping hot - delicious! It would have been nice if there were rice cakes too. The addition of kelp was perfect for cleansing the palate. Ousu (matcha) is another term for matcha. I heard that it came with matcha and a sweet, so I ordered it. Matcha at tourist spots can sometimes be too weak or lukewarm, but here the matcha was rich and delicious. The autumn-colored sweet was firm with a satisfying texture, and the red bean paste inside was slightly chunky, giving a nice bean texture. (In the tea ceremony, there are thin tea and thick tea - thin tea is made by lightly whisking matcha with hot water, while thick tea is made by adding a lot of matcha and kneading it to be shared and sipped in small amounts.) I enjoyed a leisurely time watching people heading to Jozanji Temple before heading to the next stop, Nisonin Temple. I have also posted about Nisonin Temple and another place with an amazing garden in my diary.