[Note: Today's focus is on Kyoto. Thus, this evening at Nombe, enjoy 20% off Tama no Hikari by glass or bottle if you mention The Hippy Dippy SF Sakeman to your server. Also, Kaguyahime (Bamboo Princess), a nice Tokubetsu Junmai from Kyoto, is only $30 all night long for a 500ml bottle!!!! See you at Nombe tonight! www.nombesf.com, 415-681-7150]
My last visit to Kyoto, this February as part of my tour of sake breweries throughout Japan, started off with a visit to a storied and unique brewer, Tama no Hikari. They are located in the historic Fushimi district, with a centuries old tradition of sake making. Additionally, they are a nearly 350 year old company. Unfortunately, as my guests told me, they had to move from their home in Wakayama prefecture to Kyoto after WWII due to bomb damage to their original brewery.
As a result, according to Kenzo Mabuchi, the company's overseas director, for years, many local Kyoto residents viewed them as outsiders, making inferior, non-Kyoto style sake. In fact, to this day the brewer's best selling regions are Tokyo and, of all places, Hokkaido! Eventually the locals found their way, and are enjoying these premium sakes made only with premium sake rice (no Honjozo sake here). Additionally, their zero waste approach makes them as green-minded as you can get: their shochu is even made from the sake-kasu that comes from sake production, thus making use of the lees at every stage it is made!
Following this wonderful visit, concluded with trying several brands as yet unavailable in the US (but soon to be at Nombe anyway), I quickly set out to visit Kinkakuji, better known as The Golden Temple.
Though I've seen it several times before, to see its beauty and imposition up close is always mesmerizing and inspiring. Visions like these, or seeing Mount Fuji in its glory, make me long to be in Japan. The balance of beauty with mechanization, antiquity with modernity is a site that everyone should drink in once in a lifetime.
In looking for something fun to do for the evening, I consulted my cab driver, who told me that the annual Festival of Ume Flowr Blossoms was taking place at another nearby temple.
I always get into the visuals provided by scenery, but we are in the food business, so as Nick and Mari begged, I got some great shots of the many street food vendors at the O-matsuri (festival). You are sure to see many of these items (from top-to-bottom, ramen, okonomiyaki, oden, and imagawayaki) at our new snack food counter, opening in early July.
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