Nanzen-ji 南禅寺，Junsei 顺正御豆腐 — 中文部分这次不写啦，赶紧写完日本咱们回伦敦：）

穿了：

Bringing a blanket scarf to any trip/outing is always a good idea. 

// Blanket Scarf (similar) from ASOS //

// Cashmere Blanket Scarf from Topshop (SALE) //

// Gingham Check Shirt from ASOS //

// Cropped Flare Jeans from Monki on ASOS //

// Patent Burgundy Chelsea Boots (similar) from Mango on ASOS //

// Reversible Bucket Hat from ASOS (SALE) //

吃了：

I LOVE TOFU. 

As soon as I heard about the tofu set menu served at Junsei 顺正 just outside of Nanzen-ji Temple, there's no doubt that I was going to give a go.

It started to drizzle as we rode on our electronic bikes to the temple (I guess it can't all be perfect). Just so it happens, Kyoto is a great city to explore on your bike. The traffic is light, people (well, most of them anyway) are relaxed, rule following road users. I didn't want to give up on my little bike trip just for a few drizzles, so I stopped halfway and bought a 300 yan (£1.50) bucket hat and biked on. 

When we reached Junsei, they let us park the bikes outside next to the souvenir shop, and at the end of a beautiful garden was the restaurant. We quickly settled down on our table looking out to the garden and pond, that's when the rain really started to pour.

A special brew for the place itself is always interesting to try.

Soon the appetisers came, a collective of seasonal goodness: sashimi, chicken liver pate, sesame tofu, veggies in sesame sauce, soya milk yuzu drink, tofu skin nigiri. Each dish stimulated the palate in a different way, but with tofu/soybean being the common thread that pulled everything together. 

Now this next dish, I'm not sure how it's called. But  they were mochi rice balls with pork fillings, braised in this extremely thick stock, with eel, shiitake mushrooms, and long beans. Just the right thing to have when it's cold and wet outside. 

Next up was the yudofu (tofu). Cooked simply in dashi kombu stock, with a few slices of yuzu skin. Then dipped in light soy sauce sprinkled with spring onions. The tofu is tender, fresh, sweet, and you can taste the soybean from the perfect combination of tofu and soy sauce. It is how tofu should be. I swear nobody who's tried the real tofu there would say it's bland and tasteless anymore. 

Next was the grilled tofu. Strong and smoky in flavour, it felt like the cheeky little brother of the previous dish. 

More soup, rice and fruit came after to complete the lunch. It was so satisfying, that the rain didn't bother us at all. 

玩了：

Being at the front door of Nanzen-ji 南禅寺, it didn't seem right not to go in and pay a visit. And now I'm so glad that we did. 

This temple is not as crowded(especially being on a rainy day) as all the other places. But the architecture and nature environment is one of the best I've seen. And the rain, kind of made it better and more romantic altogether.