3rd November is yet another National Holiday in Japan. They have about 12 a year, more than most countries, and my theory is that it's because of their insane work ethic which leaves many people, some of my friends included, working 17 hours a day in Tokyo.
What to do with a holiday? Well, the answer was EAT.
Kyoto International Community Foundation is a large organisation not far from where I live and it's where I've just start taking Japanese lessons (for free!) They were holding an open day, promising food and entertainment from around the world. Well, we didn't get much past the food to be honest.
I've said this before, but I'll say it again: food from stalls is never as good as it looks. I decided to visit Germany which was perhaps a mistake in itself, given my recollections of German food. However, they promised good quality looking sausages and potato salad. How could I resist? The two sausages in the picture were quite small but they looked so tasty and potato salad....mmm......
NOT. Firstly, when I went to buy the plate advertised for 400 円 they charged me an extra 100 円 for a second sausage. I believe that's called false advertising, and I believe it's illegal in the UK. Next, when I examined my potato salad, it looked very strange indeed. It didn't appear to have any potatoes in it. Nor did it seem to be covered in mayonnaise. Instead, I got some doughy pasta balls mixed in with sauerkraut. Not impressed.
Instead, we spent 25 minute queuing for a delicious mutton kebab which was sized for hungry two year-olds.
It was only later that we discovered more food stalls and some delicious looking burgers at Tom's Burger Bar. But hang on...Tom's Burger Bar rings a bell.......I realised I was looking at Tom of Tom's Burger Bar and Tom's English School which I'd applied to the day before! I even wrote that should I not be the teacher he was looking for, I'd stop by and try what he promised were the best burgers in Kyoto. And here he was......packing up his stand! He looked pretty busy so I didn't stop to say "Hello, I applied for your job yesterday, and actually I'm really gutted that your burgers have sold out as I just ate some German mush." (*Tom actually emailed me the day after the fair and now I work for his English school!!)
Food disappointments aside, the open day had a wonderfully lively atmosphere and was packed full of people, and mega cute kids (Japanese kids seem so much cuter than British kids!) Check out Calle's photos of the varieties of human life:
(Yes of course it makes perfect sense to have a Japanese man dressed as Santa, playing some kind of Asian instrument, in EARLY NOVEMBER).
Needless to say, we were still hungry and we decided to cycle down to Yamashina station area to do some shopping and take tea at the cake palace, mentioned in this previous post here. You can see more amazing photos of probably the weirdest café in the world and read the review on my brand new blog.
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