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only Japan
welcome to Kyoto at night this is the
Gihon area it's famous for having Gatien
Michael walking the streets lots of
history the area hasn't changed much
over the years but it's also famous for
having loads of restaurants so many that
it's hard to know where to go I'm
traveling alone so I've decided to do
something that I don't normally do take
a tour Kyoto is one of the most
beautiful cities in Japan a combination
of culture and tradition you feel the
history on the streets and the
spirituality at its temples and shrines
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Kyoto is in the center of Japan pretty
close to Osaka known as the Kansai
region it was Japan's capital from 1180
to 1868 and Gyan has been its
entertainment district for centuries
which sits on the scenic Kama River
I met the magical trip tour guide at 6
p.m. in the center of Gyan by the bridge
with some other hungry visitors the
streets in the early evening are
stunning the hanami koji neighborhood
looks like a movie set the area was once
home to over 500 tea houses which means
Geisha or Gaeko in local terms you'll
definitely get a glimpse of one on her
way to an engagement at a teahouse the
first restaurant of the night was a
10-minute stroll the first of three
stops on this tour
the tour has a set menu which makes it
easy to know what you're eating if it's
your first time in Japan this is
certainly the perfect introduction and
after Kampai the table is filled with
food Wow there is a lot of food on this
table that's kind of a neat thing coming
with a group of people you get to try so
many different kind of things loads of
stuff I'm not really sure it is but we
have an expert here to explain it all do
you know what this is this is Yuba you
don't mean stuff skin made of soybean
you buy so delicate this is a bonsai
Obama is Kyoto stifle my cooking and
it's always come with small portion to
reflect seasonal ingredients
Kyoto cuisine reflects freshness so
dishes often change with the season
karaage eat Japanese style deep-fried
chicken
it's salmon and Saba sashimi this is
deep-fried Yasha which is sardine can
you eat the tail yes so if it's been
deep-fried you can pretty much eat
everything right it's good
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it's a lot of fun to share the night in
a japanese-style tatami room and this
was just the start before moving on we
had a look around this scenic
neighborhood one of the advantages to
having a guide is that they can answer
your questions about its history
what's this street justice code hanami
code Street which is famous so Michael
and gecko and tea houses the houses is
place where you can help fun and drink
and dinner with Michael and gecko
actually in the end of Edo era which is
like 150 years ago big fire happened
around here and every old building were
burned out but people remained the
building and they still keep the shape
still now just walking around looking at
the tea house exteriors is interesting
have your camera ready because gecko are
fast she darted out for a second
if you want a picture you have to be
ready at all times in this neighborhood
the next restaurant was across the kamo
River this neighborhood is called
pontocho and it's in a narrow alley with
one restaurant after the other
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the one we went into had a really
incredible interior once again we had it
easy with Mona ordering a lot of the
food from the set menu Japanese
restaurants like this are called izakaya
and famous for big menus
maybe their car
this is an example of the full scope of
what's available at this izakaya
definitely more than what one guy can
eat
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the food is delicious and if you're not
sure what it is
the magical tour trip guide can explain
it to you and I ordered a few things
that weren't on the set menu
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one of the things that struck me was
this much of beer that deep green color
catching the eye
it smells like matcha and it definitely
tastes like it an interesting complement
to the beer both are bitter Moana
introduced some Japanese drinking games
to us as well Paul taught rose tea
houses and restaurants are very compact
and the next place was deep in an alley
it's a kyoto sake bar kyoto is the
second biggest producer of japanese sake
and that means there's a lot to try for
the love of money no yes see you sir
what's like a decision to come to this
place as a sampler of different sake
we picked the top three recommended from
the master
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it really was a great way to end the
night not only was I full I may have
been a little tipsy too
the emphasis on this tour is food though
and drinking is optional and my tour
experience it was a lot of fun
I was curious why Mona wanted to be a
guide it had to be more than just eating
and drinking a lot right you can have
fun as if you're spending time with your
friends I want you to enjoy the time in
Cairo
no as tourists but I've look at people
and I'm pretty sure that I can take you
any way you want I can answer anything I
can be your best friend even you come
here by your by yourself even if you're
alone you're came here by family or with
your friends we can make another friend
in here so the magical trip tour in
Kyoto is a unique way to get inside
information and learn about Kyoto and
the food is a gateway into learning
Japanese culture having a good guide is
really essential to that experience so I
was really happy with tonight I love the
food I love the new friends that I made
and I'm gonna remember this for a long
time
food brings people together and eating
out in Kyoto is a really special
experience you can feel the history in
each area and in each dish and as we say
at the end of every meal in Japan
gochisousama deshita it was a real feast
check out the description for more
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go see you next time
matinee
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