Some Famous Store Whose Name I Can't Read

We kept seeing this huge line outside of a pastry shop. The japanese know how to stand in line like a boss. This thing curved back and forth 2-4 times, with no separators. people just stood nicely, keeping out of way of the sidewalk and talking quietly. When we got to the front, we just ordered one of each thing (they only sell two things). There was a white ball with red beans in it, and brown triangle cake like thing, again with red beans. The cake like thing looks like a slice of pecan pie, without the crust.

They packaged it up super nice, lots of bowing, taking your money with both hands cupped. Awesome. And it looks like this. We showed it to the old lady at our b&b,  and she said its a famous thing around here. The store is apparently only open a few days a week, and people just go apeshit over it when it is. Each pastry cost 170 yen.

So this is what it was. The pecan pie thing is really just super  sweet gelatin with red beans in the top. Not my favorite. And apparently not what the store is known for. The white ball is what everyone was going crazy over. Most people were buying 5 or 6. It turns out it has a sweet bean paste filling. The doughy white outside is sort of stretchy, which is an odd word to use about food but that describes it best. 

Also more noodles! This is soba in mushroom broth with fresh herbs, assorted veggies, and a raw quail egg on top.

The white/pink thing is another gelatin like thing which could also be egg whites. They eat a bunch of gelatin here. Like just really a lot. Note the completely normal green tea that we didn't even have to ask for. 750 Yen.

Green tea

Breakfast today included an avocado half, with the pit filled with soy sauce. You mix wasabe into the center and eat it with a spoon. yum. Also more fish and some white miso, apparently a kyoto specialty.

Additionally, i tried to order green tea. Apparently one does not order green tea. you just say "tea" (or ocha) and you get green tea. i got tea that was... green.

my green tea. it is super green, like wheatgrass juice or something.

sort of like tea but a bit sweeter, and quite odd. only 400 yen for a cup of green oddness. Thats like $5, but sort of what almost all hot drinks (coffee, tea) cost here. Except from the vending machine, where its like 100 yen for coffee.