Waiting for Super Typhoon Lam

Kodo (Gyoganji Temple) 

Shimo Goryo-Jinja Shrine

Cocktail Time

Crab Salad Soba flavored and Mussels with Kelp

Matsutake Mushroom Soup and Barracuda with Sticky Rice

Lobster and Fig with Prosciutto

Bouillabaisse of Clams and Flounder

Cold Pasta with Salmon Roe and Surf Clam

The best Kobe Beef we have eaten in Japan

Delicious Deserts

Hope it isn't too important!

The day was dominated by two facts, it was raining and a Typhoon was approaching. The first was easy to deal with. We were prepared for rain; a Typhoon is a different matter. The only thing we could think to do was to go shopping. We went to Teramachi Street. It has a lot of beautiful stores. Eventually as the rain increased we decided to head back to the hotel.

The biggest issue for us was the uncertainty of when the Typhoon would hit, and how it would affect our travel plans. Today is Sunday we are supposed to take the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) tomorrow to go to an Onsen (Japanese hot springs resort) near Tokyo. We have no idea if the train will be cancelled, delayed or will run on time. Even if it ran on time and we got to our destination, we don’t know if a taxi can make the 40-minute ride into the mountains where the Onsen is located. We will find out the answer to these questions early tomorrow morning. The one thing we want to avoid is getting stuck on the train.

We spent the afternoon packing, dividing our stuff between things we will ship directly to Tokyo, things we will need at the Onsen and things we will want if, we ship our things to Tokyo but they get delayed due to weather.

It is strange, we just need to wait and see what happens.

Meanwhile, after cocktails, we went out to dinner at Yonemura, one of the best restaurants in Kyoto. We had a fabulous dinner, the only issue being was they served too much fabulous food! This is a MUST eat restaurant in Kyoto. It is the third time we have been there and it has only gotten better.

As opposed to American TV when we turned on the news there is actually very little coverage about the Typhoon. In America, it would be breaking news all the time on CNN. Here, they aren’t alarmist about the impending storm.

I have a Japanese SIM card in my iPhone, and just received an Emergency Alert on it. I assume it is about the Typhoon. Slight problem, the words “Emergency Alert” are in English, the alert itself is in Kanji. Let’s stick to one language on alerts please.

We are packed and ready to leave tomorrow, or stay here if we can’t go. Will find out tomorrow. Stay tuned!