Search Results for: kyoto

Travel: Kyoto Eats

April 15, 2020

During our trip to the Kansai region of Japan earlier this year, we stayed in Kyoto for 3 days! Since we were only here for 3 days, we picked a very central location to stay at. You can read my review on the hotel, Grand Bach Hotel Kyoto, here! A major plus was that we were close to so many food options such as Nishiki Market and Teramachi Street!

Here’s some of what we ate during our time in Kyoto! I didn’t include all the places we ate at because I don’t remember the name of or didn’t take a picture (gasp!).

Freshly Baked Melonpan: Yes, this is the name of the food stand! Melonpan is a popular type of Japanese pastry which is a bun topped with sugar in the shape of melon, hence the name. I saw the Freshly Baked Melonpan stands quite a few times throughout the trip, and it did not disappoint. The melonpan was warm, fresh, and so delicious. You can also add soft serve!

Sugi Honey Shop: This was located in Nishiki Market, where there are tons of food stalls! Although this place specializes in premium honey (which was very good, by the way), they sell soft serve on the side drizzled with their honey. We really enjoyed the yuzu honey soft serve and came twice during our 3 day visit!

I contemplated including this place because this was the only picture I had (why didn’t I take a picture of the soft serve?!), but in the end, I want to look back at my posts and remember this lovely shop!

Yakitori Kanazawa: Since we were a mere 20 footsteps away from Teramachi Market, the fiance looked up some yakitori places around there and picked Yakitori Kanazawa. Props to him because it was a great find! The yakitori was juicy, delicious and full of that grilled, smokey flavour.

One of the chefs/waiter (it was a very small place, probably only fit 10 customers) was really funny and liked to scare customers. He would talk normally and then all of a sudden, scream AH!!!!! which was startling to us, but then entertaining as we saw him do it to other customers, LOL!

Katsukura: Oh my GOD, the best meal we had in Kyoto! We still talk about Katsukura to this day. Katsukura specializes in tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was so delicious and the best we’ve had so far. I ordered a set that came with shrimp tempura above. Just writing about this makes my mouth water and I’m hungry again.

A Happy Pancake: A Happy Pancake isn’t new to us, as we tried the location in Tokyo in 2018. We were happy to see a location in Kyoto and came here for lunch before heading back to Osaka. A Happy Pancake is known for their fluffy pancakes. The pancakes were delicious here as well but be prepared to wait! Luckily we came right when they opened so there wasn’t a line yet.

To be honest, I didn’t enjoy Kyoto as much as I thought I would because the city was over crowded with tourists. I don’t want to be one of those people who complain about tourists because I am also one, but it lacked an authentic vibe to me. However, the food was really good and memorable.

I enjoyed the quieter cities of Kobe and Kurashiki more. I published my post on Kobe earlier this week, which you can read here. I will be publishing a post on Kurashiki soon!

Travel – Kyoto Hotel Grand Bach Review

February 26, 2020

Last month, the fiance and I went back to Japan for vacation! This time, we went to the Kansai region, which includes Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Himeji. We stayed mostly in Osaka, but went to Kyoto for 3 days. This post will talk about our hotel in Kyoto, Hotel Grand Bach!

Background: While looking for a hotel in Kyoto, we wanted somewhere central because we would only be here for 3 days. In the end, we chose downtown Kyoto because there was more to see in this area, and was also within walking distance to Gion.

I don’t remember the exact price but it was about $100 CAD a night, a very good deal considering how central we were and how classy the hotel was!

Location: The location was VERY convenient and central! We were a block from train stations, Nishiki Market, and Teramachi Street which were great for meals and shopping. We had many great meals on Teramachi Street!

Walking around Gion, a 10 minute walk from the hotel

Gion District, the historical area was about a 10 minute walk. Department stores were about 2 blocks away.

Room: Since the hotel was on the main road, I was worried about the noise. However, the room had great soundproofing and we could not hear a single thing from the road!

The room was average sized for Japanese standards, which is considered small for Western standards. Japanese hotels usually have two twin beds with wheels, so you can choose if you want to sleep separately or together.

The room was comfortable enough for the two of us although we had to keep our luggage upright for space. It wasn’t a big deal for us, but just a heads up if you haven’t stayed at a Japanese hotel before.

There was a rainfall shower and body jets. I would have preferred a tub, but there was a bathhouse in the hotel where I was able to soak and soothe my sore muscles, which I’ll talk more about below.

A nice bonus was that they offered free movies in English. The other two hotels we stayed at in Osaka only had Japanese cable, so it was nice to have a movie playing in the background while relaxing.

Change room in the female bathhouse with facial products, q-tips, and hair dryer.

Amenities: I really enjoyed the bathhouse in the hotel. The bathhouse was always very relaxing, spotless and clean. In addition, the products (shampoo, conditioner, foam face wash, face oil, night cream) they offered were really good quality.

Picture of gender segregated bathhouse from hotel’s website

Some people may feel uncomfortable going into a bathhouse because you have to be nude, but this is a norm in Japan so no one cares that you’re naked. Just be sure to follow the rules (no phones, rinse before, don’t put face towel in the water, don’t cause a ruckus) and no one will judge you.

There was also coin operated laundry, which we took advantage of. When you’re travelling for 2 weeks with limited clothes, it’s a must!

Atmosphere: The atmosphere was very calm and classy. It felt more like a 4 star hotel than a 3 star hotel. Since this hotel has a Bach/classical music theme, there was always classical piano playing in the lobby and hotel!

Cute Bach/piano theme at the bottom of the sign!

The staff were polite and helpful. This is embarrassing but after checking out on the last day, I realized I had forgotten something in the hotel! We quickly went back to the hotel, where the front desk called housecleaning to grab it for us. They came down within 15 minutes with the item.

Cons: I really can’t think of anything bad about this hotel. The only con I can think of was the awkward entrance. Although the hotel was located on the main street, you have to enter through the side street which confused us during check in. Once you get in, the first floor is awkward with a dark hallway and elevator. You have to take the elevator to the second floor lobby.

I am very glad we stayed in downtown Kyoto and would recommend Hotel Grand Bach. The location, atmosphere, and amenities were great and honestly I think we underpaid for what we got! Shh, hehehe.

This review is not sponsored.

Gram Cafe and Pancakes – Brentwood

June 1, 2022

The husband and I have been eyeing Gram Cafe since they opened in Canada. We loved the fluffy pancakes in Japan, having been to A Happy Pancake in both Tokyo and Kyoto. Fluffy pancakes aren’t as common in Canada, so we were excited to try it when Gram Cafe finally opened at the new Amazing Brentwood!

Gram Cafe is a chain cafe from Japan, which originated in Osaka. They have been slowly opening up a few locations around Vancouver. This review will be for the Brentwood location. At the time of writing, there is also one in Aberdeen Center and in East Vancouver on Kingsway.

Gram Cafe is located on the street level of the Amazing Cafe, entering through the outside. It is across from Sephora and H&M. As a general rule, I try not to visit restaurants immediately upon opening (usually I like to wait a few months for the restaurant to iron out the kinks) but we were too excited this time around.

The cafe was tastefully decorated and felt spacious. However, I found the chairs to be a bit uncomfortable.

We ended up waiting a really long time for our pancakes. I also noticed that the table next to us, who were here first, did not receive their pancakes until after us (when they ordered the same thing). This wasn’t that surprising considering it’s a new place, and more on that soon below.

Fluffy pancakes: I went with the fluffy pancakes and ordered whipped cream and strawberries as sides. I found the fluffy pancakes to be alright, but definitely not comparable to the ones in Japan. They weren’t as jiggly here, when I shook my plate the pancakes didn’t jiggle. Taste wise, they were not bad. For the price, I probably wouldn’t order again.

Apple and tea cream pancakes: Surprisingly, the husband didn’t get fluffy pancakes! He changed his mind last minute when he saw the Earl Grey whipped cream, which the fluffy pancakes didn’t come with.

As mentioned above, the wait was really long for both our dishes. To add to it, my pancakes came about twenty minutes before the husband’s. At first, I only had a bite but then my food was getting cold and I was getting hungry, so we ended up sharing it together. Also as mentioned, even though we sat down after, the table before us didn’t get their fluffy pancakes first.

The husband thought that the pancakes themselves were nothing special, but the Earl Grey whipped cream was delicious.

All in all, Gram Cafe definitely had some growing pains to experience as with most new restaurants, so I won’t be too harsh on them. By now, it’s been half a year since they opened so hopefully the wait and flow has improved. Although decent, we both found it to be overpriced for what it was. I think we will save our fluffy pancakes experience when Japan opens up to tourists again (without having to go on a group tour).

Travel: An afternoon in Himeji, Japan

May 4, 2020

Himeji is a popular day trip destination because of the UNESCO World Heritage site, Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle has been on the fiance’s bucket list for many years now. During our first Japan trip in 2018 that was 5 years in the making (due to school/new jobs/timing/money/etc), this was already on his list but we were only staying in the Tokyo area so we didn’t get to come.

This time, during our trip to the Kansai region, we knew we had to make a stop to this breathtaking, magnificent castle.

We came here with a friend from Tokyo, who flew down and spent a weekend with us. The three of us went to Kobe on the Saturday, and then to Himeji and Kurashiki (which I’ll also be writing about) on the Sunday!

Here is what we did in Himeji for a few hours, before taking the train to Kurashiki. We did not do much except eat and go to Himeji castle, but it was a fun few hours here.

Getting to Himeji: With the exception of 3 days in Kyoto, we stayed in Osaka (you can read my hotel review here). From Osaka, we took the Shinkansen to Himeji which was about a hour, and met our friend at the station in the late morning.

Brunch: The Himeji area is known for grilled anago, which is a type of saltwater eel. I’ve only ever tried unagi, which is a freshwater eel. We went to a small shop by Himeji Station recommended by my friend’s friend who lives here, Sumiyaki Anago Yamagi.

The restaurant was quite popular as evident with the lineup even prior to opening hours. It was a warm, comforting and filling lunch.

Himeji castle: We slowly made our way to the castle! My breath was taken away when we approached the castle. It was a beautiful, stunning sight, meticulously crafted with so much detail.

My tip is to not take photos right after you cross the street to the castle. A lot of people were gathering here taking photos, because like myself, they were probably stunned of the magnitude of how beautiful the castle was. However, be patient and walk an extra few minutes to get your pictures!

After paying the entrance fee, off we went into the castle! All guests are required to take their shoes off, wear slippers, and put it in a plastic bag to carry around with you throughout the castle. I thought the plastic bag was a bit wasteful but in Japan, they tend to use a lot of plastic bags and packaging.

The castle is very easy to navigate as you just follow the signs. You start on the first floor and slowly make your way up. There are no washrooms available so be sure to use it prior to entering the castle.

Each floor has signs and displays for what it was used for, along with hidden storage areas and closets. I will also warn you that the stairs are very steep and narrow so be careful! There were a couple of times where I thought I was going to slip and fall (but I didn’t).

View of Himeji from the top floor of Himeji Castle

When you get to the top floor, you are greeted with a beautiful view of Himeji. My first thought was imagining this castle back in its prime, overlooking what was farm land and villages.

It took us roughly a hour to get through the castle at a leisurely place. Apart from the castle, you can also walk around the area which features smaller houses where staff lived, etc.

We didn’t feel like going through that area since it would not compare to the beauty of the castle that we just witnessed, so we took some photos outside of the castle and walked back to Himeji Station to go to our next destination, dessert!

Dessert: Another Himeji specialty food item that I did not know about was imagawa-yaki. This is a waffle cake usually stuffed with red bean. It was recommended by our friend, so we had to try it out! We went to Gozasoro at Himeji Station, one of the most popular stands for this dessert.

We bought both the red bean and white bean cakes, and they were delicious! The cakes were made fresh so it was piping hot. It was lightly crispy on the outside but soft inside.

Usually, this is the part when people head back to Osaka or Tokyo. However, we decided to go in the opposite direction, and take a hour train ride through the Japanese countryside to the city of Kurashiki.

Next stop of the day: Kurashiki, Japan – Stay tuned for another post!

Kurashiki is not a well-known city in Japan among international visitors, but I wanted to go after seeing beautiful pictures of their preserved historic district, Bikan Historial Quarter. Stay tuned for my next travel post on Kurashiki, you don’t want to miss it!

Travel: A Day in Kobe, Japan

April 7, 2020

During our trip to the Kansai region, Kobe was a city that I was really wanting to explore! Kobe is smaller than Tokyo and Osaka, so it doesn’t receive much international attention, except for its world-famous, mouthwatering Kobe beef! However, I personally really enjoyed our day trip here! There was a lot less tourists here, and felt like a breath of fresh air from the crowds of Osaka and Kyoto.

We travelled to Kobe from Osaka via a regular train which took roughly a hour. You can also take a Shinkansen which is faster, but it would cost a lot more. Our friend took a plane from Tokyo and met us in Kobe. Since he had limited time, a domestic flight was a lot faster than taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo.

We were in Kobe from the morning until evening! Here was our itinerary for the day:

Meriken Park: We started our day by walking around Meriken Park, towards the harbour. The photogenic Kobe Port Tower is located here, as well as a big Kobe sign that would make for a nice souvenir photo. The skies were blue and sunny, so it was a pleasant walk around this small area.

We also saw a small ferry terminal, and a boat offering tours around the harbour!

Harbourland: A quick 10 minute walk along the same path as Meriken Park, is Harbourland. There are some malls here to do some shopping as well. We walked around the path outside and took some pretty photos of the ferris wheel.

Lunch at Steakhouse Zen: You can’t go to Kobe and not try Kobe steak. Our Japanese friend knew a local, who recommended Steakhouse Zen to us. We came during lunch so the prices are a bit cheaper, but I will warn you that Kobe beef is not cheap!

The quality of the beef is unparalleled and unlike any steak you will ever eat. As expected, the beef was mouthwatering, melted in our mouth, and super delicious. We ordered a lunch set, which also came with rice, soup, veggies, and dessert.

The cherry on top of a perfect lunch was that Steakhouse Zen is located on a higher floor of a building complex above the train station, so you get a beautiful view while eating Kobe steak. To our right, were buildings and the water peeking out. To the left, was greenery and mountains (including Mt. Rokko, our next destination!).

Mount Rokko and the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens: After lunch, we walked to the base of Mount Rokko, next to Shin-Kobe Station. We took the cable car to the peak of the mountain.

The ride up in the cable car was beautiful and we also saw Nunobiki Waterfall from above. Alternatively, you could also hike up the mountain but we wanted to spare our tired feet when possible.

Atop of Mount Rokko is the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden. The Nunobiki Herb Garden is a really pretty, calm area where guests can see many different types of herbs, flowers, and greenery. There is no entrance fee to the garden.

You start at the top of Mount Rokko and can walk down the mountain to see the different types of vegetables and herbs that they grow here. Unfortunately we came during winter so the trees and leaves were bare, but I still found it to be very beautiful and calming here. I can only imagine how breathtaking it would be during sakura season!

Foot soak atop Mt Rokko: One of our highlights of the day was the herbal foot soak. For 100 yen, guests can soak their feet in a hot, herbal bath made with fresh herbs from the garden. The foot soak has a beautiful view overlooking Kobe. We ended up spending a hour chatting, just enjoying the view, and enjoying the hot water relaxing our feet.

There are also hammocks at the herb garden! It was a bit too chilly to fully enjoy in the winter time though.

City Loop Bus: After our relaxing visit to Mt Rokko and the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden, our friend (tour guide/translator hehe) suggested that we take the City Loop bus back to the Harbourland area for dinner.

The City Loop bus stops at all major and recommended Kobe attractions. This was a great suggestion because we were able to see other areas of Kobe instead of being in an underground train!

Harbourland at night: We were thinking of going on the sunset cruise, but we spent too long relaxing at the foot soak at Mount Rokko and missed the sailing time. Oops! But no regrets because that foot soak was amazing. Anyways, I would recommend the sunset cruise if you have time.

We ended up walking around Harbourland a bit more, and took some pictures of the night landscape. You could also take this time to shop around Habourland.

Dinner: Our friend suggested Vietnamese food for dinner! It was my first time having Vietnamese food in Japan. We went to Thang Cafe Motomachi which was a short walk from Harbourland.

Compared to Canadian Vietnamese restaurants, the noodles were thicker and chewier. The main distinction was that the pho broth was very gingery so that may be a good or bad thing depending if you like ginger or not.

Overall, it was a very fun day in Kobe. We left very satisfied with the sights that we saw and the city left a great impression on us. The weather was beautiful the whole day as well. Kobe, you were great!