Japanese Food Bites: Indulging in the Taste of Summer

I woke up at 9 AM and got ready for the day pretty quickly. I met the group in the lobby at 9:45, and then we left to take the train to Kurama. Before starting the hike, we got water and prepared ourselves because we knew it was going to be hot.

The train ride already felt different from being in the middle of Kyoto or Tokyo. One of the trains had colorful artwork on the outside with trees and deer, which fit perfectly with where we were heading. When we arrived in Kurama, everything felt much quieter and greener. The hike itself was very beautiful, but it was also very hot and humid. The stairs were definitely hard, and there were moments where I felt like I needed to stop and catch my breath. Still, the temples along the way amazed me, and the views made the climb feel worth it.

One of my favorite parts of the hike was being surrounded by so many trees. After spending time in Tokyo, which is very much a city filled with big buildings, it felt really nice to be in nature. The air felt different, and even though I was sweating, it was peaceful to walk through the forest. The stone steps, red lanterns, and green leaves made the whole place feel calm and beautiful.

One of the coolest parts of the hike was seeing a deer. It was completely unbothered by all the humans walking right next to it, hiking down, or stopping to take pictures. It just kept eating and moving around like we were not even there. That moment stood out to me because it reminded me how close we were to nature, even though we had only taken a train from the city.

After we finally made it to Kibune, I went into a small shop that had artwork and cosmetics, which added to how charming the town felt. Kibune was such a cute town, and it basically only had one main street. Then, I went to a cute cafe, which was a really nice place to cool down and relax after the hike. I ordered an iced matcha latte. It was refreshing and bitter, which felt perfect after being hot and sweaty from the hike.

Later, we had a wonderful kaiseki-style lunch right over the river. We all took off our shoes and sat on mats on the ground while course after course came out. I dunked my feet in the cold water, which felt amazing after hiking for so long. The whole setting was beautiful, with the sound of the river rushing underneath us and the shaded seating area making everything feel much cooler.

My favorite parts of the meal were the thin, light noodles with dipping sauce, the tempura with salt, the rice with furikake, miso soup, pickles, and the dessert, which had cantaloupe, watermelon, and some sort of matcha mochi. I also got a berry soda that was extremely delicious and sweet. The meal felt special because it was not just about the food, but also about where we were eating it.

I also talked to Leif about his experience. He said he was very sweaty after the hike, so the lunch spot felt especially nice because it was a lot cooler. He liked being able to dip his feet in the cold running river, and he also enjoyed the cool green tea they served because it helped him cool down. He said he had fun trying a lot of new foods, and his favorite dish was the noodles.

After lunch, I walked back to the train station and took the train back to Kyoto. It felt really nice to shower, relax, get my laundry done, and catch up on some work. I ended the night at a delicious ramen spot and got to bed early, which felt like the perfect ending after a long day of hiking, eating, and exploring.