NO SOMEN NO SUMMER

Can't you handle the crazy hot summer in Kyoto!?
Why not having NAGASHI SOMEN!?

I recommend you to go to the restaurant "Hirobun" in Kibune, where is much cooler than Kyoto city.
It takes about 40min from the Kyoto Hana hostel by train.

NAGASHI SOMEN are thin noodles served cold.
The interesting part, when eating these noodles is. They flow along a half cut piece of bamboo, which you have to catch with chop sticks. If you are successful in doing so, you dip them into the broth and eat!

Kyoto Hana Hostel will have a NAGASHI SOMEN party soon!
Come to join us!

Garakuta Ichi at Toji Temple

There are many flea markets are held in Kyoto every month.

Koubou-san (21st of every month at Toji Temple) and Tenjin-san (25th of every month at Kitanotenmangu) would be come to mind of people in Kyoto as they heard "flea market".

Or some recall Tedukuri ichi (15th of every month at Chionji Temple).

In June, I went to Garakuta ichi for the first time. Garakuta ichi is held on the first Sunday of every month. The place is the same as Koubou-san, but stalls participate the market are far less. The less stalls the less people. This was good for me because I went with 15th month old daughter.

There are various kinds of Japanese antiques such as kimonos, yukatas, pots and plates. And also you will see tons of garakuta (junk).　They must be precious things for some people though.

Here are my favorite things. These carvings called Netsuke that are miniature sculptures. Netsuke were invented in 17th-century Japan to serve a practical function.... for further info..

Seems that my daughter likes playing the drum.

I recommend Garakuta Ichi for those who have kids and are not good with the crowd. This flea market is loungy.

classmate in high school

Oh my god!

I recently have experienced the very unbelievable episode.

here is the picture of it.　↓↓






Guess what, when i checked him in, I noticed that he was from Canada then we had a little conversation about the country where i was too.
Well.. i meet a lot of Canadian at the hostel, but he was a little bit special case. As we talk we found out that we were in the same city and lived in the same area..more than that,
amazingly we were from the same high school!!!

We didn't know each other at the school but we had some common friends. It was very nice to hear about the friends because i haven't been back to Canada since i graduated and i wasn't able to contact with the most of friends i knew.

I brought the year book next day, then we shared the memory about the high school days:)
Again, i was surprised that we were on the same page of 200pages in the year book

♪♪♪

Trip to Sensui Island in Fukuyama city!

Hello, It has been really warm in Hiroshima these days.

I went to Sensui Island with my parents and husband last weekend for the late father's day.

We took a shinkansen (bullet train) from Hiroshima to Fukuyama.
It only took 30mins and from Fukuyama station, we took a bus to Tomonoura.
It also took about 30mins.

This is from the ferry port where we took a ferry from in Tomonoura.
The raccoon dog welcomed us when we were walking on the Island!!

We stayed in the Island for one night. They served us a gorgeous fresh fish and shrimps.
We grilled them on the charcoal!

Whilst you are having great dinner, they played a Japanese drum for us!
The drumbeat still linger in my heart. It was fantastic moment!!

We went for a short walk on the 2nd day on the Island.
There are so many beaches and many people were fishing.


This is from one of the look out point.
It was too hot to do hiking, so we just went to this one but there are more places where you can hike up and see more great view from top of the mountain.
You can rent a sea ｋayak and go to another Islands. Most of the Islands are uninhabited.

It was nice to get out of crowded city even for a day!!
I am glad that all of my families had a good time together!

☆cool off by the KAMO river☆

Kamo river, the most famous river in Kyoto, is the best spot to cool one's down on a hot day!




Especially in the evening, the place becomes the perfect party spot (It is allowed drink alcohols outside in Japan, but harmful drunks are not acceptable!) or date spot ;*





our recommendation!!

Coup de foudre, the closure of Kappa Zushi

My beloved Kappa zushi (Kawaramachi sanjo) is closing on the 30th of June. They have recently invested multilingual touch panel for individual customers thus I was simply pleased to witness the outer appearance of the entourage.

This is a blog to disperse the tragedy and the sense of grief. The foreign customers had to love this place where one can receive a plate of sushi carried by a Shinkansen (bullet train).

Farewell, Comestible a.k.a. sushi san

Ajisai Light up at Mimurotoji

Hello～!!
It is in the midst of raining season in Kyoto.
Meantime, it is Ajisai (hydrangea flower) season in Japan.

There is a illumination event at Mimurotoji temple on the weekends during 11th of June to 26th of June.
My friends and I visited there to appreciate these beautiful flowers.


It was slightly raining when we arrived at Uji station.
We took bus to the closest bus stop, and then walked to the Mimurotoji temple.
As we walked to the ajisai garden, these flowers started to paper in our sight gradually.
Once we got into the garden, many colors of ajisai were blooming in a drizzle.


Look!! It's bigger than may palm!!


Cute heart shaped!!


Some people were taking pictures, some were fascinated with a beauty of the flower.
They are open at night only this period through the year.
You definitely should go and see this weekend!!!

SAKE town Saijo

Hi, today I'd like to introduce the city which is known
as a SAKE town in Hiroshima.


The name of the town is Saijo in Higashi(east) Hiroshima city.

The other day, I went to Saijo to walk around the city
and to see the breweries.



Since it was Monday, some of the breweries were
closed, but we could still enjoy the streets with
white-walled buildings.



You can also try some Sakes in some of the breweries.




Saijo is only about 30 to 40min from Hiroshima sta.
Please take the Sanyo line and get off at Saijo sta.

And the breweries are all around the station.

Every year in October, there is a huge Sake Festival
in this town so don't miss this!!