On our second day at Gora Kadan, we crammed in so much. We did not waste a minute.
We went into town, purchased a suitcase full of various bric-à-brac. Hiked in a bamboo forest. Visited the Tori Gate, took a lake cruise…. We ate sushi. We went diving in the lake… while eating sushi.
I’m a liar. No we didn’t.
We behaved in our typical princess fashion. We slept in. Actually I sunk my big old badonkadonk in that sublime private onsen as the sky was midnight blue at 3 am.
And then promptly slept in.
We had a Japanese multi course breakfast. Guests can choose the Western breakfast, but if one does that, well…
Shame on you.
Sigh I just love tamago, i.e. egg in Japanese. But I am incorrect. What I truly love is Tamagoyaki. That is what is at 11 o’clock below. This is a form of Japanese omelette, which is made by rolling together several layers of cooked egg.
Ooooh and silky tofu….
The chopstick holders are so very… What is the word? Nice? No. Sweet? Maybe. Ah, I know! Kawaii…
Oooh finger food:
And then we went for massages. No I did not take a camera there!! So no pics. But I do want to talk about somebody incredible I met after the massage. Somebody who relaxed me like no other. Someone… Ok, it’s a goddamn chair.
Gora Kadan has three of these beauties. Yes, after my massage, I went for more massage. With him. It will be a separate post. That is, my obsession with massage chairs which apparently is something that Japan and I share. In any case, Gora Kadan: thank-you, thank-you from the bottom of my withered heart. These massage chairs are to die for.
We tried to mingle with some other guests in the lounge area after our massages. We met three 50-something Persian business buddies. We tried to discuss software or medicine or news of the day or politics or food or booze (not necessarily in that order).
But, alas, they just kept asking us where our husbands were. So after that titillating conversation we felt we should go revel in the beauty of our rooms.
More onsen:
Even the bathrooms were so simple and elegant:
By the way, about Japanese toilets. Much has been written. However, what I will say is that they are not complicated!!! And they rank right up there with Gora Kadan. Almost. Ok not quite at all. But I want one.
Will discuss in a later post about toilets round the world. I bet you can’t wait…
The decor just fills one with peace and relaxation:
Ahh, dinner. Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t see this every day:
This is, of course, Wagyu beef. I have eaten this a number of times outside of Japan, but I have never had the quality of Wagyu I had in Japan. No exception here at Gora Kadan.
The velvety smooth utter deliciousness of Wagyu derives from a number of factors. The fat in Wagyu is more dispersed intramuscularly as opposed to more of a rind around a muscle. Wagyu is high in glutamic acid and inosinic acid, two molecules responsible for the taste known as umami, one of the qualities that makes Japanese food, in my humble opinion, some of the most savory on the planet. Wagyu fat is higher in monounsaturated fat, and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids compared to other beef. Not only are these the ‘good fats’, but they also melt at lower temperatures which further enhances the deliciousness. And texture. It can be said that in addition to tasting delicious, Wagyu feels delicious. Again, regarding the best of Japanese cuisine, texture matters greatly.
How all this is achieved is somewhat of a mystery. Although I know some of it involves giving the cows massages- I believe to soothe muscle spasms- and giving the cows beer in the hot summer months to increase appetite. This is certainly different from what I have seen here in the U.S. Although I readily confess I am rather ignorant about all of this or perhaps biased by what I see driving down I-5 in California or reading in Supersize Me. I have read, indeed, some Wagyu does come from the U.S. and also Australia.
I digress. More food porn:
The beef was very quickly cooked in the pot with the vegetables added. We had these for toppings:
The beef was nothing short of spectacular. Not sure if it was the sake or the beef or both but we were in such a state of bliss that we took no further pictures of this incredible meal. My body was in a state of Wagyu shock. I’m pretty sure that- actually quite certain- this will be the closest I will be allowed to Heaven.
The next morning we had another fabulous breakfast:
Sigh, it was time to leave this glorious place. Look at how lovely this is:
But we were headed to Kyoto. Which was not a bad place to be, either.
I know this is not subtle like the above scene, but I truly recommend Gora Kadan. We will be back…
thisdoesnotsuck 