On April 2, 2008, Barbara Goldberg and Helen Hasenfeld boarded United flight 886 for Osaka to do specific planning for the upcoming Salon Forum Travel trip in November. We had a very special time exploring old and new sites, and stayed for 11 nights at the Palace Side Hotel (where we have booked rooms for November), loving every minute of the comfortable atmosphere that it offers.
Helen has spent a lot of time in Kyoto, and has meandered the streets, gardens, shrines, temples, etc. Nevertheless, she and Barbara uncovered many treasures that we are anxious to share with you. One of the top discoveries was a Netsuke Museum in an old Shogun mansion that is open only 4 times a year. April is one of them, as is November, and is now part of our itinerary.
The Imperial Palace, right across from our Hotel, is also open twice a year, April and (you guessed it) November. A must see in Kyoto!! We were two of the few Westerners in each of these locations, which indicated to us the importance that the Japanese place on these two sites. We experienced many interesting and fun things to do, including an outdoor bath (onsen) a short ride outside of the city.
Helen introduced Barbara to many of her craftspeople friends and we have set up visits to them. We also met Kiyo Woodruff, a Japanese-American from Brentwood (yes, a Brentwood girl!) who has lived in Kyoto 30 years and will be our guide for several days.
We ate extremely well and our bills were very reasonable, dispelling the notion that it is impossible to eat in Japan for less than $100 a meal. Seek, and ye shall find!! We found wonderful places with delicious food that were visually exquisite. You will get to share the bounty of our treasures. Some convey the traditional atmosphere of "old Japan," others more contemporary yet possessing the inherent elegance of Kyoto.
The city was awash with the color pink—the cherry blossoms were in bloom. Pink will be replaced by flaming reds and golds in November, when the Japanese maples turn color. It will be a feast for the eyes, especially to Southern Californians like us who don’t see this very often.
We look forward to sharing this wonderful place with you!