It was 8 - 9 degrees today, so cold and windy in Kyoto. Early morning, we bought a train ticket from Kiyomizu-gojo to Kyoto Station via JR Tokufuji for 270. It was just about 7.00 a.m., and the crowd in the JR train was scary. The train came at 7.04 a.m. but it was already so packed. Despite that, we squeezed ourselves into the carriage .... luckily Kyoto Station was just a stop away.
At Kyoto Station, we had to look for the Hachigojucho Exit where we would board our bus at the F3 platform. The problem was the platform was out in the open .... and it was really very cold. I was in 4 layers and it did not feel sufficient enough. Sigh. Furthermore, our bus came late. It was supposed to depart at 8.20 a.m., but I think it was subject to the traffic conditions .... our bus only came at 8.40 a.m., and we thankfully climbed in ... phew!
So our bus made its way to Takayama at the Gifu Prefecture. It made a few stops and the entire journey took about 4 hours.
Takayama is called 高山 Gao Shan or High Mountain. It is located in the Japanese Alps. It is a area of heavy snowfall and we did witness a lot of snow on our way there ....
We got off at the Nohi Bus Terminal at Takayama, and our hostel was just opposite the bus terminal so we did not have to drag our bags for very far. K's House Takayama Oasis. We loved this hostel - everything was looking modern and aesthetically pleasing. The staff were great too. They were helpful and provided advice whenever we seeked it. We dumped our bags there .... and went out.
First stop. It's back to the bus station to buy our bus tickets to Shirakawa-go. Normally a round trip would cost ¥4420 per pax. We got a discount because of a voucher the bus driver handed out during our journey from Kyoto to Takayama. So we bought 1 ticket at ¥3910 and 2 tickets at ¥4420 and that averaged out to be ¥4250 per pax.
After that, we walked around Takayama. It was a small little town, and it was so pleasant to walk around ....
We saw many people carrying sushi in their hands .... so we were curious. Further down, we saw a small shop selling Hida Beef Sushi. We were keen to try ....
Snow-covered foliage on our way to Takayama ....
First stop. It's back to the bus station to buy our bus tickets to Shirakawa-go. Normally a round trip would cost ¥4420 per pax. We got a discount because of a voucher the bus driver handed out during our journey from Kyoto to Takayama. So we bought 1 ticket at ¥3910 and 2 tickets at ¥4420 and that averaged out to be ¥4250 per pax.
After that, we walked around Takayama. It was a small little town, and it was so pleasant to walk around ....
Loving these bronze plates on the ground that showed us where to go .....
Red Nakabashi street at Miyagawa River
A must-visit place is Sanmachi Suji, where old wooden houses are preserved; now they are mostly converted into shops and eateries ....
Felt like going back in time ....
These houses are now very well-preserved ...
I'd imagine an intricately landscaped garden beyond those wooden fences .....
Inside a miso shop ....
I drank 2 tiny cups of miso soup here .... yums and helped to warm me up if just for a little while ....
Hida Beef Sushi, ¥600
However, the prices were crazy expensive (for us), starting from ¥4,000 per 100g. Outside one particular restaurant, we saw that prices could go up to ¥15,000 per 100g depending on the cut and quality of the beef.
The restaurant was closed ... so we debated if we should come out later on for dinner. Meanwhile, we walked more around town ....
Kokubun-ji
The temple was almost deserted at this time ....
The pagoda outside of kokubun-ji
We went back to our hostel and checked in. On our way to the convenience store, we chanced upon another meat shop near our hostel ... and we bought the meats for real.
We bought ¥6912 worth of meat .... look at the beautiful marbling on that piece of wagyu steak; that piece of steak was ¥3600 yen per 100 g but it was so worth it.
And pan-fried it in its own fat, with just a dash of salt and pepper ...
Homecooked
And they were so good, especially the wagyu steak ... soft and tender and melted in the mouth and with rich beefy flavour; totally awesome and unforgettable. So delicious! And so sated. :P
ah that beef....i'm drooling~~~~
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