Image above: A delicious pile of sliced half fatty half pork back ribs over a bowl of rice at Juu katsu tei for dinner. [Wednesday 27 January] | [View all photos]
After all the exercise I got from snow-shoeing the previous day, it was a late start on Day 5 where I did a fleeting visit to Tokyo before hanging out with Raina back in Kasukabe.
Nothing quite like a good work out to ensure a good sleep so I happily crashed until the early afternoon before I realised the time and rushed towards Ebisu to check out the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography (otherwise called “Syabi“) before it closed.
Arriving, I was absolutely starving. So with my LP book showing that the nationally renowned Ippudo was nearby I detoured there for an excellent bowl of deliciously flavoursome ramen in this utterly moreish tonkatsu broth. Exactly what I needed to get me going before hitting the exhibits.
At Syabi, the “Ihee Kimura & Henri Cartier-Bresson: Eastern Eye & Western Eye” exhibition was a masterclass in comparing and contrasting the two great contemporaries of modern photojournalism in two different worlds. And in “Views of the World by Japanese Photographers” I really enjoyed the diverse takes on travel photography by the six contributors. All in all, two exhibitions covering my two favourites forms of photography – pretty awesome!
Jumping back on the train back to Kasukabe to meet up with Raina to help her with this weekly adult English class that she teaches. Never taught before but it was a lot of fun trying to speak simply and explain concepts simply too. And yes, I had to try and speak slower with Raina gently reminding me to slow down all the time so I didn’t completely confuse her students. :)
Since I kinda started this day starving, it seemed fitting that it ended with me being utterly stuffed at dinner. First stop was Yuu katsu tei – a tiny shop that served this amazing flame-grilled slices of fatty pork back ribs on rice. So good in fact that I simply couldn’t resist ordering a second portion! And the second stop was at Dosanko for some more wholesome cuisine in the form of vegetable ramen. I was so stuffed that I really seriously didn’t want to move but it was a good way to end the day with great chat over great food with Raina.
Coming up … Day 6 checking out Raina’s girls school in the morning before heading to Raina’s mystery destination for my birthday.
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