Miho Museum Cafe

Miho Museum at Shiga prefecture, around 2hr drive from Kyoto, was the most serene museum I've ever visited and my favourite by far. Even to this date, everytime I see our photos, I felt so in awe.

You just felt how the people and the museum respect the nature surrounding this museum; and if you read and even watched the DVD, how Mr IM Pei met such difficulties in constructing it, you would be in awe even more with the Japanese. Mr IM Pei also said the same thing that luckily he had the opportunity to work with Japanese, they had the best workmanship, technologies and perseverance at that time to be able to construct this museum.

And it was such a vision to be able to design and built this museum as part of the hills, it was the request of Lady Mihoko, the owner who so confident only Mr IM Pei fitted the bill to design this museum.  After that others requested Mr IM Pei to design similar design to Miho Museum architectural design.

This is a master example of how we, human, can still build something but in same time also pay respect to our nature, it even has a sustainable vision back in 1990.  I saluted how they planted back all the trees surrounding the museum after construction. And how Lady Mihoko had envisioned that by having this museum, she would also employed the residents around it to work and make it sustainable to the museum, nature, and people around it.

So, we came to the cafe, after our return buggy ride from the Museum through that beautiful tunnel (it was built more than 20 years ago but still feel so modern), next to the Admission and Souvenir store.

And to my delight surprise and should've guessed that the cafe served only Vegetarian and all the ingredients are locally produced and planted around the museum. 

I love the whole concept very much!

The nice and courteous senior lady staff could even explained in English about the concept of the cafe.

The dishes were excellent, fresh and simple but tasted exquisitely indeed. 

Too bad, we were catching the only every hour bus to return to the train station so I didn't have leisure time to take more photos of the cafe.

This is the only Museum and Cafe I long to return despite the long journey...

The scenery from museum window...such serenity

View from another window

View to Museum entrance

Incredible design you saw when you entered the door

While waiting for our buggy ride, view to that beautiful bridge and such serenity

View inside the tunnel

Veggie appetizer, the sauce looked like peanut sauce but it was Miso and a nice combo

The Ice coffee

The brown ice cubes

My tsukune udon, was warned the chilli powder was very spicy...first thought was it wouldn't be that spicy but turned out, it was!! So surprised!

The simple hot women...it was tasty even though it looked so plain...don't be fooled by it look

Miho Museum

300 Tashiro Momodani, Shigaraki

Shiga, 529-1814, Japan

Tel: +81 748823411

http://www.miho.or.jp/english/index.htm

 

Opens daily from 10 am to 5 pm

Cafe Bibliotic Hello!

Found out about this cafe from TimeOut Kyoto; and since it's also in vicinity from Kyoto Imperial Place after watching the Jidai Matsuri processing, I thought it was a good place to try where the localites eating.

The building was a revamp from 100 years old machiya, turned it into a cafe and branching out to bakery next door with some decorative items for sale.

It was so low profile and I bet only locals that familiar with this cafe, definitely not a touristy spot.

Such an eclectic decor, with mismatched furnitures but still complimenting the overal colour scheme, books on displayed on the book shelves on left wall with long table in front of it, there also an open patio on the back where a cool looking guy reading his book, a staircase to 2nd floor dining area; it was all casual eclectic but smart atmosphere...

Patrons are mostly in their 20s-30s and from the looks of it, either working adult or university students.

However, I totally forgot that they only accept CASH and no Credit Card, this is definitely the first encounter of no card acceptance as we used to card payment convenience all over Japan.

Food were good and service was prompt, mostly the waiting staff are young adults, and not English fluent.

If we visit Kyoto again, I will make time to return to this cafe...a great independent cafe with cozy atmosphere...

View from entrance

The group of friends on the long table

Kitchen area under the platform

2nd floor dining area, a small area but looks cozy and mostly for couple seating

The shop area and bakery; they also put a table for seating too, such a casual setting...Another door entrance to enter this area

Blackboard with handwritten special menu on the wall behind our seat

Small wooden folder

Really eclectic down to its menu; all handwritten with some notes punched and inserted in between

Such a serene reading spot

View to drink and kitchen area

View to entrance, next to a group of 4 young pretty ladies; they were a bit surprised to find foreigners next to them...ha..ha...

Nice clean simple design lamp...it reminded me of Scandinavian design..

My Avocado juice

My seafood pasta with tomato based, fresh and delicious

The Salmon Fried Rice...so yummy

My cheese cake...soft and oishii.....

Cafe Bibliotic Hello!

Nijo-dori Yanaginobana, Higashi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, 604-8172

Tel: +81-75-2318625

http://cafe-hello.jp

Opens Tue to Sun from 11.30 am to 11 pm

Cash Only!

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakaku (Museum)

Ramen! One of my fave Japanese dishes, I like it even more after we went to Sapporo Ramen Museum. Of course, the original Ramen Museum at Yokohama still the best but visiting Sapporo Ramen Kyowakaku (translated as Museum in English brochure) for all types of Ramen all over Hokkaido, it was another experience.

So happy that the Negi Ramen opened too in Parco Milenia Walk a couple of  years ago.

The Ramen Museum is located on 10th floor of ESTA Building which directly next to Sapporo Station, such a good location, easy to find and easy to reach.

There are 8 stalls selling different type of ramens, we tried 2 stalls on different days and both proved to be addictive..

As what you find in Japan, all waiting staff are cheerful, enthusiastic, polite, courteous...the No. 1 service standard you could ever experience in dining places, even though, it was a simple stall by the side road, the restaurant in posher shopping mall, fine dining restaurant, the service standard are all the same. I always salute Japanese for this.

And Japan, being the innovative, never failed to be so considerate to customer needs. It was still considered winter in Sapporo so I found everywhere provided a basket for you to put your heavy jacket and bags, so thoughtful!

I heard it was some sort of competition for these stalls, so it may changed from time to time.

Great place to try Hokkaido specialty ramen under one roof. I'd love to return here when in Sapporo. 

Highly recommended!

Can't be missed, the entrance on 10th floor

After the entrance...

The first cha-su ramen, not the negi one but both were great!

Thoughtful wasn't it? So, your spoon won't slide in..Don't think other country will ever think about this

The thoughtful basket

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakaku
10th Floor
2-chome,Kita 5-jo Nishi,Chuo-ku,Sapporo 
Tel: +81 - 011-213-2111

http://www.sapporo-esta.jp/ramen/index.html

 Opens daily from 11 am to 10 pm