Japan 2010, Day 7

Day 7. We're half the way through our trip. This was the day we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

Our hotel was interesting. It seemed to have taken a page out of the Hudson Hotel handbook, with its incongruous chandeliers and Library Bar. Unlike the Hudson, it features a tiny faux chapel on the first floor for weddings.

After we checked in in the afternoon, mrguy guided us to a food market he'd heard of. It ended up being one of those places that you want to go to every day. Nishiki Market is like Pike's Place Market without the fire marshal's supervision. A few covered streets with vendors selling yummy local treats and ingredients you never see unpackaged at home. We ate beautiful jelly candies and grilled fish paste on a stick:

We had arrived just as many businesses were closing, so we backtracked toward the hotel. Something caught my eye. Was that a keg? Sure enough! We bought local draft beer at the market and walked around happily sipping it. Now I was sure I wanted to come back every day. This was the best beer we had outside of Beer Club Popeye the whole trip.

Dinner found us at Honke Owariya, a noodle house. The flagship restaurant, in another part of Kyoto, is 540 years old and serves the Emperor's household when they're in town. They also make delicious fish dishes.

Here's an article from Kyoto Foodie about Honke Owariya.