Deer friends in Nara...

Do you recall ever seeing a sign that says do not feed the wildlife? In the Nara prefecture, they encourage you to feed the white tailed deer roamin freely around the park. You are sole a pack of biscuits for 150 yen and it's at that point you become extremely popular amongst the deer. 

These deer are for the most part friendly unless you give them a hard time getting the biscuit. They show their love for you with a nudging head and an adorable nose run on your shorts. If they are really "starved" for attention, you may get a little nip on the but or your shirt. 

"Come on man... Feed me!"

These fellows and ladies live the life of royalty. They are fed daily by hand of a thousand servants, roam the fields to their hearts desire, and are surrounded by absolutely stunning gardens and temples. It is as if they were worshiped here at some point in history... Oh wait, they were. 

Hunt for the bamboo pathway...

Growing up, I always imagined Japan to be filled with bamboo forests, monkeys, Samurai and ninjas. For the most part, was entirely wrong. The samurai have long been extinct from the late 1800's and the ninja are hidden in the shadows. That was half of my imagination. There was only one spot that I visited where there were some monkeys and that was Arashiyama. 

I did not go and see the monkeys, a bit too expensive for my travels, but while in Arashiyama, I had the privelage to see the bamboo walkway we have all seen on Instagram and Google. This is where the fun begins. 

I arrive in this small village around noon and stand in the bridge traversing the Ukyo-ku River to get my bearings. Upriver, there is a pathway that leads to a bend. Deciding to follow that path, I walk about 500 meters to the end of the trail. To my disappointment, there is no bamboo forest and no trail leadin further on: fail. 

After searching for about an hour or so, I met a couple from Hong Kong who was also looking for the famed bamboo pathway. We walked through zen temples and shopping streets until we finally stumbled upon a sign that said bamboo path is 90 meters to the left. We looked at each other and laughed. 

It was an enlightened pathway that was flooded with tourists and cameras. Mine was right there with it all. Standing at the beginning it the path with my eyes closed and focusing on breathing, I was able to memorize the scene that was laid out before me. 

That's when it all made sense. We need to protect and serve the land as it does to us. We have to stop killing our homes with poor agriculture. That moment is when I knew the path I must take my cooking. Standing at the beginning of the perfectly sporadic bamboo proved to me that he natural order is the strongest and most sustainable for the entire environment. 

Shrine hopping...

Kyoto, known for its traditional styles and architecture, is filled to the brim with a large community of Buddhist temples and shrines. Consider walking down the streets in New York looking for an Irish pub. Every street there will be atleast one with its doors open and taps flowing. The same applies to the temples and shrines. 

You could turn up a random alleyway that looks dead to the world and still find a small shrine with a beautifully decorated Buddha. For the good ones though, it was a small hike and a lot of stairs to get to the entrance. 

For me, there isn't much to say about the shrines and temples. Their exquisite beauty and stillness simply take your breath away. With each corner cane a different surprise; a garden with a pond, a cobwebbed filled cemetery, a small reflection hut. Each a treasure in their perspective rights. 

In one day, I covered only 2 miles of land but saw 7 large temples and shrines;  2 in maruyama park, hōnen shōnin midō, yasaka shrine, kyomizudera, doju-in, fushimi inari taisha. The entire day, I must have said 20 words all day. At one temple, Kyomizudera, there were monks praying in the main temple. The sound of them chanting was hypnotizing and humbling. 

Today, seeing all of these monuments and all the old architecture, I felt a sense of home. The Japanese people truly believe. The community as a whole understands what it means to live peacefully Among each other in a clean and safe environment. Why can't the rest of the world?

Quail egg as tako brains...

The market. A collection of the best produce available at the time. Each day, farmers bring the fruits of their labor to the centralized market to sell. This has been a part of the worlds culture since recorded time. 

In Kyoto, there is a market called Nishiki market. It runs on one street for about 6 long blocks. Inside you will find a bounty of food, souvenirs, knives, spices and tea. Each stall is masterfully organized ergonomically to ensure all the given space is optimized. From giant tubs of pickles in koji to make your own pepper mix stations, they had it all plus space to walk. 

The gentlemen above were swift with their knives to break down 40 chickens. 

The best part of this market, aside from all the pickles, master butchers and incredible rice, was the prepared food. The two to three bite morsels on a stick with ribbons of kewpie and tonkatsu atop. Some sellers had sweet potato with extremely crunchy breading while others had grilled eel and traditional egg blocks (tamago). It was heaven for the taste buds of anyone. 

This was truly just a teaser because it made me more excited to make way to Tokyo for Tsukiji market. But it was an incredible teaser to eat my way through. 

Club masters...

Being a tall white person in the heart of Osaka is a very strange roll to play; especially if you go out to a club that is packed to the walls with local Japanese youth. We went as a group of two Canadians an Aussie and myself, all atleast 6 feet tall. 

Not only do we stand out amongst the sea of dancers, the locals wanted to take pictures with us. It was a very strange feeling but made for a very fun filled night. I got to see just a little bit deeper into the tangled culture of mingling in Japan. 

As the night progressed, faces became familiar and guards started to drop. With a sense of comfortability, the dancing became a bit more promiscuous and free. Each song sent a lightning bolt of energy through each person that inspired more dancing. By the end of it, we were all wiped and left the club grinning madly. 

Like white on rice...

Sushi. What about these individually shaped morsels is so appealing to our palate? To our eye, only two components make up this sensational bite; perfectly cleaned and masterfully sliced fish and warm, tangy rice. How then, can these two ingredients produce such a wave of sensations throughout our beings?

Long ago, before the whole world knew of sushi, it was a form of preservation. The fish would be fermented for about a year with some other ingredients, vinegar, veggies etcetera. In order to be remotely edible, the Japanese would pair the fish with rice. Little did they know they had changed the course of history for man kinds stomach. 

It was truly a joy to be taken to a tiny sushi spot in the ever winding alleyways of Tsuruhashi. The company who brought me just so happened to be fantastic Keiseki chefs whom I worked with in NYC. While we weaved our way through the silent, shadow cast market, they kept asking me if everything was ok for me to eat. "I am in Japan, EVERYTHING is ok" would be my most common response.

Due to this response, a wave of fish and rice barreled our way for the better part of an hour: Maguro, kanpachi, shima Aji, sawara, chu toro, iwasa, shiro ebi, kaibashira, anago cucumber, tako, tai, ika, botan ebi, ebi head, turban shell (tsubukai), katsuo, tamago. There was never a falter of speed and delight. I was simply blown away. These wonderful people, just as with the Keiseki meal, honored me with an unforgettable experience wth sushi in Japan. 

Get your Keiseki on...

For my first true meal in Japan, I was lucky enough to have met up with Suzuki San. He asked if I wanted to try Osaka Keiseki and of course I agreed in a heartbeat. We went to one of his colleagues restaurants that was on the corner of two streets. (I wouldn't be able to tell you where if I tried). As per custom, we stopped by a bake shop and picked up some treats for the kitchen. 

The first thing that I noticed in the restaurant was the subdued beauty of he layout. The walkway entrance had a glass pathway with pebbles to bring a sense of earth to the hall. To the left, a warm glow emended from the doorway to the kitchen bar and community seating. To the right, rice paper doors separated larger tables for private party's of no more than 6-7 people. They 12 feet of walking from the entrance to the bar was extremely humbling and inviting. 

Following the customary introductions, our meal quickly took shape. The flavors and ingredients shouted the beginning of fall. Even as familiar as the techniques and flavors were, there was something different about it that I didn't have in NYC. The food was in its place and with that, everything shone out just a bit more. The simplicity of each dish, having 2-5 components each, strongly reinforced how important it is to pay close attention to every single detail. With less on the plate, you had more time to focus on each component individually and all as one. I'll leave you with these pictures to help you understand a bit more. Enjoy!!