Farewells of 2013 (and one nurturing nabe)

December's tragedy, which occurred just 2 weeks prior to us arriving in Japan to run my inaugural Winter tours, meant that my partner and I were extremely fragile and not capable of very much of anything.... except absent-minded wandering, staring into nothingness, trying to come to terms with how life, death, and the universe actually works. What was fair, what wasn't. How people behave, and don't. What was real, surreal, possible and impossible.

 New Year's eve gave us the opportunity to close the horrendous end  (to a somewhat difficult year) and look to 2014 as a fresh slate, albeit understanding there would be a long road to healing ahead.   We were still in shock but we had a sense of needing to get through to the next stage, still breathing. Putting one foot in front of the other. To cross the line into the new year meant we could leave a tiny part of the pain behind. There will always be new hope in a new year. Like swimming through a rough sea to an island shore to rest before swimming back across the waters to home, hoping the deep blue would be less choppy on the return. 

Thank god for good friends. Who nurtured our heads, hearts and bellies when we needed it most.

Tad and Bridget are those kind of friends you can always rely on. They are straight up, no nonsense, caring, warm, funny, real adults. 

Bridget provided us both with her wonderful shiatsu treatment  - instantly improving our energy levels and bringing about a certain sense of calm, for the first time in many, many weeks. 

While G was flat to the tatami I walked with Tad through the local neighbourhood to their veggie garden allotment for dinner supplies. 

I  put my hands in the earth ( ok, so I extracted a single daikon from its depths...), gazed at the spectacular sunset gently lullabye-ing 2013 and sucked in the crisp evening air. 

Yep, looking washed out and bedraggled but pretty impressed with myself. 

The winter veg: Heirloom carrots, daikon, mizuna, cabbage, Hakusai (Chinese cabbage), Shungiku (edible Chrysanthemum leaves), pencil leeks....

With carry bags, filled to the brim just on sunset, we returned to our protectors' cosy house in the mountainside where Tad (one of the finest cooks I  know) prepared the Nabe - chock full of just plucked goodness, so sweet, crisp and flavoursome. Organic, local chicken which tasted like chicken. Full flavoured, meaty chicken. Chickeny meat.

But not before stopping off at Enkooji temple to assess what time we should turn up to take our turn to ring one of the 108 peels of the bell. New Year in Japan is a very different experience to that in Australia and many other countries where it is all about getting pissed and punching or vomiting your way across the line. We were happy to be well clear of that scenario.  Peace, reflection and the comfort of close friends was our only agenda. 

 

Tea and snacks before sparkling sake whilst waiting for the nabe to do its thing. 

Nabe, dipping sauce (ponzu and grated daikon), pickles and a viewing of a 7 year old aged mirin... check out the colour. Sadly, in my daze, I forgot to taste it!

When the chicken and veg had been devoured Tad lovingly added cooked rice, spring onions and greens to the leftover cooking stock...

Lightly beaten, golden yolked eggs were drizzled into the pot then we garnished our own servings with herbs, toasted sesame, crushed senbei (rice crackers) and soy. Freakin' delicious and the kind of food that cures all ills. 

We walked to the temple just before midnight. I left my camera at home so we could really just be in the moment. We lined up to ring the bell. The moment I stepped up to the rope the head monk, who until that time had been inside the temple, appeared beside me and began to chant. I felt his deep voice reverberating through my body, energising me, filling me with hope in the sadness. His timing was perfect. Did he sense how very much we needed a helping hand in that moment. Gerard's tears were visible in the bonfire light as he pounded the gong with every scrap of energy he could muster  while he whispered his brother safe journey. The monk disappeared shortly afterwards. We are not religious but we felt extremely blessed in that moment. It was enough to keep us keeping on.

La Biographie - Kyoto

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

This page has already been moved - you will find the link HERE.

Thank you. 

Departures.

It is time again to leave precious Kyoto town. 

The last couple of months have been some of the most challenging of my life and without the gentle caress of Kyoto's nurturing hands I'm not sure how I would have pushed through. 

My partner's brother was beaten and killed in the streets of Melbourne just before Christmas. 

After 2 horrendous weeks attending to related duties ( particularly difficult and rushed as we were in town from interstate), including arranging a delayed funeral due the Coroner's inquest and that 'stop everything event' known as Christmas, dealing almost daily with the Victorian Police (who were most caring by the way and cleverly arrested and charged two offenders within days) and liaising with the Victims of Crime people.... (yes, victims of crime... we could never have imagined ending up labelled as such nor did I realise that once you enter the club there is certain assistance and support on offer to help you deal with logistics  - well, when staff are not on Christmas or sick leave..), comforting his mother and friends etc we flew back home, hurriedly packed our bags and hopped on a flight to Japan the following day for the commencement of my new tour business.

From the moment we received the phone call, requesting us to come to Melbourne, life has seemed particularly surreal. Flying to Japan on the back of all we had just experienced took things to a whole new level of course.   I guess I was lucky in a way that I had so much to do.. I had no choice but to keep moving forward, getting things done.  I urgently finished off final ground arrangements for my inaugural Zenbu Ryori and Zenbu Zen tours which had naturally been put on hold during our stay in Melbourne....   then in between the two tours, a week apart, I made arrangements for introducing Kyoto town and its wonders to celebrity chef Peter Gilmore and Restaurateur John Fink. 

To say I've been busy would be a gross understatement. I've had so many moments during the last 7 weeks or so when I have stared into the mirror wondering how the fuck I was still standing and keeping a smile on my face. Adrenalin and sleeping tablets helped in the early stages of course. 

Showing my tour customers an intimate and special time (Kyoto has a whole bunch of new fans!) was probably my saving grace but I still cannot fathom how my body and mind allowed me to keep going right up to last night when I waved Peter and John off. 

It is pretty amazing what we can do when we have no choice. I've always, well, for the majority of my life, been a positive thinker and being able to "trust"  that all would be ok eventually... and it will be...enabled all I guess. Plus these new tours are an integral part of our future and it was so important from so many angles to throw myself into them with all my heart.

 On the flipside of my busy-busy stuff was my poor, grieving partner... huddled in a luxury hotel room "prison", attempting to come to terms with the loss of his brother and all that comes with that - including the stinging reminder of the death of his father just a few years prior.  Not to mention the difficult family relationships and memories that are highlighted during such times. Each night after busy tour days I'd come home to nurse and console his aching heart and body, his confused mind and prod his numbness... making sure he was still able to feel something on the dark nights when it seemed he had given up on the world. 

We have just a few days left here, in the beautifully serene Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto where we have been looked after in the most considerate, respectful, caring way by the kindest (and most "onto it") hotel manager in the world Mr Ken Yokoyama and his fantastic staff. It is top down stuff all the way here. A 5 star experience with the warmth of a family run business.  Arigatou Yokoyama san. I'd also like to thank Executive chef Shaun Keenan for his assistance, care and generosity throughout our stay. 

The key staff have been keeping an eye on my other half whilst I have been pre-occupied - making sure he was fed, watered and aired.  Can't imagine finding this elsewhere.  The poor house-keeping staff on the other hand probably haven't known quite what to make of the state of our room - the result of someone working around the clock and a very sad partner... 

Last night I hit a wall. My body ached like I had been picked up by a typhoon and smashed onto  rocks. I've slept on and off for 24 hours and feel a little better. I was hoping I'd hold out until I got home so that we could enjoy our last few days but as soon as the boys left yesterday my mind and body must have had a conference I wasn't privy to and they pushed me onto my bed. I'm grateful for their insistence. 

So, an easy week for me is in order before throwing myself back into work that has been left in wait -  and I know you will forgive my delay in posting here for all these good reasons!. I will get back to some kind of normal routine soon (well as normal as my life gets!!) and promise to update you all on the journey I have taken with my new tours - with the most amazing bunch of engaged travellers - I have truly been looked after. I guess there is a force out there that knew there was a small chance I might have fallen in a heap had I been dumped with a less than lovely bunch of people. 

So, we keep putting one foot in front of the other - as anyone who has grieved will attest to. This is not the first loss for either of us. I've lost several loved ones - including my own father when he was just 58. Suddenly and completely unexpectedly. I know it gets easier. 

You have no choice but to keep moving forward when you are knocked off track. Lost loved ones would not want it any other way. There's a sense of  'if you stop for too long you simply won't get up again' but it is important to rest and process of course. And now I will take some time to let recent events wash over me. 

Thank you to EVERYONE from my fabulous travel agent Daisuke Mitsukoshi at Pitt Travel in Sydney, to all my gorgeous tour peeps - total angels, to all at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto and our family and friends (and strangers!) who have supported us from near and afar - you all know who you are.   Words can't really express how grateful we are. 

And finally, thank you to my beautiful G who through all the crap he's been through in his short life chooses to believe me that everything will be OK.

Yep, I'm tired and emotional. That's life at times. This is real and this is me right now.  I believe it is important to share  - the good, the bad, the inexplicable - because there is always someone worse off than you and sharing information can help put it all into perspective.  

Thank you Kyoto for your protection and healing energy. Be back soon....

Jane xx

Les Creations de Narisawa - Tokyo

This post has now moved to Jane Lawson's ZENBU TOURS PAGE - you'll find it HERE.

Inoda Coffee

Inoda brand coffee run a popular chain of cafes in Kyoto town.  They  have done since 1940. If you can deal with the smoke you will have a decent, old school, coffee experience.  

At the back of this particular shop on Sanjo street ( a few blocks west from the Western end of the Sanjo arcade) there is a large circular bar with  barristas stationed in the middle. It looks directly onto a serene Japanese garden and had it not been for the ashtrays sending up smoke signals I would have jumped at the chance of a prime position seat.  I mean the smoking section is find if there are no smokers right?  

Had it not been a stinking hot day (when the smoke seems even more putrid to me - maybe it's an Aussie bushfire memory association thing...) I might have spent the time it takes to watch my coffee drip through the filter into the pouring chamber then drink it - just for the opportunity to gaze at the garden. 

I have enjoyed a cup of Joe (and sampled a couple of their expectantly decent cakes) at several Inoda coffee shops around town and all are consistent -  but only recently visited the Sanjo store and its garden as they were recommended to me by friend (and smoker) Ricky.  (Apologies Ricky...  you know I'd definitely sit there with you even if you were puffing away - just because your company is so delightful... and sense of humour so wicked!). 

Kyoto summer essentials below. OK so the phone is a constant.  

***Heads up Australian cafes - this is coffee, iced. When I ask for coffee with ice in it - this is all I want. I don't need it to have a tonne of ice or ice cream frapeed through it - just ice, some milk and syrup on the side. And do note the sugar syrup because granular sugar doesn't melt in iced coffee. Why can't we get this right here? We are a bloody hot little island - iced coffee is essential for summer!! That is all.

PS - if you like Inoda coffee they have a range of varieties available in take home packs. I'd take a guess you can buy the syrup too!

HARBS Cafe Kyoto

My last trip to Kyoto involved some very important research. 

Above is the result of a full blown investigation into Kyoto cafes. Ooops - slight exagerration - one cafe. I was specifically looking for a "back up" venue for a cafe I plan to include in the itineraries for my Kyoto Winter Cuisine and Culture  (Zenbu Ryori and Zenbu Zen) tours 

and also my Spring Cuisine and Culture Tour (Zenbu Haru) for 2014.  

On this trip I discovered that my first choice cafe for one particular day of the itinerary is now closed on that particular day of the week (blah!) - so the additional research was an absolute necessity. I therefore sacrificed my arteries to the god of cream and chocolate... 

All the cakes and tarts in the glass cabinet of Harbs ( in the Daimaru Department Store) - looked fantastic. Perfect. Too perfect... I was sure they would be the opposite. All style, no substance. A pretty tease.... I've been tricked before ( although long ago) in Japan. 

Turns out I'd been too quick to judge. I found the German chocolate and walnut number (above) to be quite, quite stunning.  And only wish I could have asked for a tiny slice of each offering, just a wee tastette... you know like people apparently do when planning their weddings.... Clearly I'm a very committed tour guide. And not just greedy!

So lookout Harbs - I'll be back soon, with a few friends. 

And if you bloody well end up being closed we might have to resort to this nearby vending machine for an ice cream!! 

Coolish anyone?? (They are actually not bad - for an squeezable ice cream you suck out of a bag..)

If you like the look of these you might like to hop over to my KYOTO WINTER TOURS PAGE.

Eyes on Kyoto

     

       

  

         

Just thought I'd share a few snaps from my recent trip to Japan. 

Always so inspiring, so delightful. 

Want to come along with me next time?

Well you can. 

My Kyoto Winter Cuisine and Culture Tours for January 2014 are sold out so I recently decided to add just one more tour for 2014 in April  - the most popular time of the year to visit Kyoto.

Stunning weather, beautiful blossoms, luxury accommodation, fine food, great company, learn about Japanese culture -  and get your Zen on! 

ZENBU HARU is my Spring Tour 2014 - see HERE for details.

**PLEASE be advised that BOOKINGS FOR THE 2014 ZENBU HARU TOUR HAVE NOW CLOSED but stay tuned to my KYOTO WINTER TOURS  page for details of new tours coming soon!