Yoshikawa Inn and Tempura

Hello we are in the process of transferring all Japan-related content to Jane's ZENBU TOURS site. 

This post has alredy been moved - you can find it HERE.

Thank you. 

The Lobby Bar. Royal Park Hotel THE Kyoto.

We're currently transferring all Japan-related material to Jane Lawson's Zenbu Tours site. You can find this post HERE.

Ritzy Business

The long awaited Ritz Carlton Hotel has arrived in Kyoto town. It's right on the river, has a striking design and is in a spot convenient for walking into the city centre. It's seriously plush, has some amazing bonsai in the foyer and the staff seem very attentive. 

Which all sounds ideal of course but it seems you have to posses reasonably deep pockets to stay, eat or drink there - as you might expect.  Actually, before it opened the rumourmill informed us that the cheapest room was around 80,000 yen per night  (around $800 AUD) but on inspection just a few moments ago they have rooms for around 57000 yen (under $600 AUD) available this month ie May 2014 - of course there are much more expensive rooms and suites too should you have REALLY deep pockets!

Recently a few of us decided to have a wee sticky beak and stopped in for a drink at the bar. 

While the place is tres glamourous we were struck by the number of foreigners working there - I guess, again, you should expect this from an international hotel chain but whether this works for Kyoto is yet to be seen. 

My personal view, and I've since found out it is shared by a few locals, is, on initial and very brief inspection of a few common areas, that the hotel vibe feels rather high end Bankok meets Tokyo  -  instead of , well, Kyoto. A little flashy I guess for reserved old Kyoto town. Which might be a shame because when most people visit Kyoto they want to FEEL Kyoto. Or maybe I've been hanging around Kyoto too long and am a bit biased. For me it's a little like a Disney version of Kyoto.

I'm keen to see more of course - I lived in the same street while this was being built so spent some time wondering about the result!. But for now I can only comment on the tea/coffee lounge area which ties right in to the BKK resort style energy and from all reports sells a very expensive cuppa. The bar was spacious and a bit sexy and they do a mean martini.  The bar snacks were really high end senbei (rice crackers)  - which seem to be in plentiful supply. Drink prices are what you would expect from a hotel in this category. 

I've heard the food is good (and expensive) in the Japanese restaurant but until I have eaten there myself I couldn't personally recommend it of course. One day I'll check out their f&b offerings and let you know! Anyway it is a new hotel in a town that houses a few old crusties which could do with a good sprucing up so no doubt The Ritz Carlton will have its fans. I'm still working out whether I'm one or not.... If you have stayed here please drop me a line and let me know what you think?

Touzan Restaurant 東山 - Hyatt Regency November 2011

I waxed lyrical about Kyoto's Hyatt Regency Hotel in a previous post on Italian restaurant Trattoria Sette almost a year ago - still serving the best Italian food I have eaten in Japan. Touzan is the hotel's Japanese restaurant and I have eaten there a handful of times. Although it has always been consistently good and the meal below was lovely - it didn't seem quite as fabulous as it has been on this occasion...   Perhaps it was a little expensive compared to other places around town... But we are in a flash hotel so you will get that (it is still very reasonable - don't get me wrong!).  Perhaps I am just getting fussier the longer I am here - also my slowly improving language skills enable me to try places I wouldn't' have dared enter a few years ago so I have many more comparisons of similar level foods  - but if you don't speak Japanese its a great place to experience some real Japanese food in a lovely setting.

Here is a bit of a visual journey for you....  (one of the set menus - 4500Y)

Kyo-yasai (local vegetables) on display in the restaurant

The adjacent sushi counter

The gorgeous bar... I love this wall of books and the clever re-use of various old household objects to form beautiful collage like walls and partitions

JIMMY

There was a time, long ago, when I would spend hours getting primped and primed just to hang out, as a regular, in this kind of bar - let me state emphatically - those days are well and truly gone! 

Jimmy is way too hip for me - no question. If you are of a certain age you might not feel inclined to push through the models however it is a gorgeous bar and definitely worth enduring the doorman's disapproving gaze for the view alone.  As it was on the top floor of my hotel I didn't have to go far or suffer the queue so I must admit to visiting 3 times during the 2 weeks I was staying at The James. Each and every time I felt rather less than glamourous but it was fun to people watch and most importantly take in the most sensational vista! Soooo NY sweetie! Fabulous spot for FABULOUS people ( albeit a lot younger and prettier than myself and my friends!) and it was a bit of a giggle to be reminded how seriously we used to take ourselves.... ha! 

Here's a peek - both evening and late afternoon (October 2011)

subtle..