Floating in Kyoto by night

We reunited with our luggage in APA hotel Gion. All possession seem frivolous when in Kyoto, because there are so many cute and beautiful things and views in town, especially in the evening when the low light takes away the time and amplifies the sounds of the rivers flowing around Gion.I like the smell of wood and incense that comes with Kyoto.And in autumn, a sudden chilly breeze makes me want to snuggle into a comfy tea house for a multicourse kaiseki meal.

Short of that though we wandered about alleys and corners looking for dinner, our stomachs confused by the unreadable shop signs. we were looking for a light dinner and restaurants in Kyoto have a tendency to have no menu outside and closed doors, so unless you know where you are headed, it turned out to be intimidating, borderline difficult to window shop and randomly pick something off the street when off the beaten path.

While hunting for our next meal we passed by many tea houses outside which bodyguards and drivers would wait for their maikos and geishas, as well as company bosses or politicians being entertained.

 

Eventually we settled on a place that looked very local and filled with chatter and laughter around a central kitchen surrounded by a counter. It took courage to open the door to enter, and we thought we would be turned away as it looked full. But the waiter hustled us in and up to the first floor, where a large tatami room was set with several low tables. This was going to be challenging our flexibility but there was no turning back.

We started with drinks and ordered snacks tapas style to go with them. Sake beer and and highball, with grilled fishes and aubergines, and maybe some meatballs and yakitori. 

 

 

The memory was fuzzy and legs became numb but it was quite fun to experience the common  watering hole of locals. We promised ourselves to return to the place for more sampling, but like anything found when lost wandering, we could not find the portal to go to this magical izakaya.

And so it remains as a great memory, vivid of coziness and sweet drunkenness.