Time to visit the Tokyo Tower. It was Rob's idea. He's not one to suggest going up high in anything, so I guess the sight of the tower every morning over breakfast finally lured him over. Here's the view from the lower platform.
I liked watching people pause next to the glass viewing floor and then gradually work their way to stand on top of it. This did not happen with Rob, however.
He found other things to keep him happy.
Here's the view from the upper observation deck.
The tower mascots are the "Nippon Brothers." Here's Rob making a new friend with one of the brothers.
And here is the tower from down below.
I almost hesitate to put the next part of our day in the same posting with our adventure at the Tower. Dinner with Dr Kitatani and his friend was by far the most remarkable dinner of my life. It was at a restaurant called Daigo. It's on the second floor of a tall tower but when you step inside you're not anywhere but ancient Japan. We took off our shoes and were escorted into our own private room with a view of the dry gardens. The table was a low one and I was happy to discover that I didn't need to sit cross-legged for the evening, as there was a cut out area under the table for legs. Who knew?
This restaurant serves a "shojin-ryori" cuisine which was developed starting in the 12th century. The Buddhist monks were vegetarian but when the shoguns who were funding the operations of the temple came to visit, they needed something substantial to eat. So the monks came up with a sophisticated type of vegetarian cooking that simulated meat dishes, but without meat or eggs.
I counted the courses when I got home and found there were eleven. We started with a tiny glass of plum wine which tasted more of plums than wine. Then we moved on to a soft, smooth bean curd which was eaten by mixing ginger into the dipping sauce, then scooping up some sauce and then some curd. If Rob and I would have been left on our own, we would have been thoroughly helpless, but each stage was explained by our hosts, which was a great relief. Our host came here last with Quentin Tarentino because "you know how Quentin loves Japanese things."
Next were several different types of vegetarian sushi which were served on a thick stone plate with a leaf cut to look like blades of grass. Unforgettably delicious.
We had three women in kimonos serving us with all the graciousness one would expect.
Next was a combo platter consisting of (starting from upper left and going clockwise): something in a basket that was wonderful but I don't know what it was, a lovely pickled plum tucked inside a chinese lantern flower, marinated hot peppers, corn tempura, sticky potato that's eaten by squeezing it out of its jacket, and in the center a type of soy bean curd made from the part that floats to the top of the pot.
Next was the eggplant grown only in Kyoto. It was round and the way it was presented, looked almost like a pork chop. We scooped out the inside and dipped it in the sauce and it was as lovely as any pork chop I've ever had.
Next was assorted tempura, with a sliver of ginger dipped in something red. On top of it was a delicate branch with small white pieces of puffed rice which looked like tiny flowers. We pulled the pieces of rice out to eat. Since rice is so important to the Japanese diet, presenting it in this way was very symbolic.
Next, cucumber and seaweed marinated in something wonderful.
Next, a ginger soup to cleanse the palate.
Next (we were pretty stuffed by this point) was a gorgeous bowl of noodles and mushrooms. The tiny mushrooms (which looked exactly like little hot dogs) grow only in Kyoto.
And then, nearing the finish line, a perfect melon.
A glass of cold black tea, with a cold sweet red bean soup. If I hadn't been there, I wouldn't have believed that a cold sweet red bean soup would be anything to write home about. But it was. Awesomely good.
Our evening ended with a tour of the gardens by the man on the left (below). He carried a paper lantern which he held close to my feet as we negotiated the steps toward the temple. Then he used the lantern to hail us a cab. The word "hospitality" has just been redefined in my book.
Here's the photo we took earlier that day at the Tower. Little did we know that we would start our day with the Nippon Brothers and end it with a vegetarian lantern-toting monk? I love Japan.
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