Since I first visited Japan 18 years ago, I'd only ever seen the faint outline of Mount Fuji through the clouds. Last week, though, I got a clear view of the iconic Fuji-san on three different occasions -- too exciting! This was the first one, taken from the window of the Shinkansen (bullet train) as I sped towards Kyoto.
While in Kyoto, I took a workshop on making omogashi (traditional Japanese tea ceremony sweets) at the legendary Oimatsu. These were the treats I made, minus one I had with a bowl of matcha after the class was over.
Despite its reputation, Oimatsu's storefront is very humble, on a quiet street near the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine.
Here's a shot of one the shrine buildings. The place is a huge tourist attraction. At shrines, there are a lot of opportunities to make wishes, and I wished for good health, since I was sick for the majority of my trip (crappy, I know!).
