Category: Travel

Ironically, yakitori wasn’t even on our radar for Kyoto. But I’m glad we ended up having some anyway, even though it was totally by accident.

Comparing seven rice polishing ratios of the same sake

Drink
Travel

November 9, 2024November 1, 2024 Alvin Lee

If only there was a Japanese brewery that made the exact same sake, the exact same way but changed only the seimaibuai for different bottles.

Gion to Ginkakuji via the Philosopher’s Path

Travel

November 2, 2024October 28, 2024 Alvin Lee

The 5.7-kilometre walk was quite an achievement for us, and easily one of the longest we’ve ever completed while on vacation.

Elegant tofu kaiseki at Rengetsujaya in Higashiyama

Food
Travel

October 26, 2024October 27, 2024 Alvin Lee

Tofu may seem like a humble ingredient but centuries — no, millennia — of refinement in Kyoto has elevated it to a delicacy.

Trip planning: Seoul, Redux feat. Train to Busan (Autumn 2024)

Travel

October 12, 2024October 21, 2024 Alvin Lee

I blame Gong Yoo. Ever since we watched his iconic jombie movie, the idea of taking the KTX from Seoul to Busan was planted in our minds, growing steadily as time passed.

There’s no such thing as too much yuzu at Yuzugen Pontocho

Food
Travel

October 5, 2024October 6, 2024 Alvin Lee

Yuzu sake, yuzu daikon, yuzu kosho, yuzu gyoza, yuzu nabe, yuzu ramen. When you’re a yuzu addict, it’s never enough.

Relaxing day trip to Uji from Kyoto

Travel

October 2, 2024October 6, 2024 Alvin Lee

Uji feels like the kind of place that’s best enjoyed on a slower pace, and that’s exactly what we did. Here are the places we visited during the six hours that we were there.

You can never have too much matcha in Uji

Drink
Travel

September 28, 2024October 6, 2024 Alvin Lee

As they say in Japan: “When in Uji, drink matcha.” So we travelled to the mecca of matcha, to see if it was possible to overdose on the magical green powder.

The Wife walked into Ousu no Sato and almost didn’t make it out

Travel

September 25, 2024October 6, 2024 Alvin Lee

I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.

A peaceful stroll in the Byōdō-in temple grounds

Travel

September 21, 2024October 6, 2024 Alvin Lee

There are two main reasons why tourists travel to Uji. The first is for matcha, and the second is to see the temple stamped on all Japanese ¥10 coins.