Blacksmith

 This morning we were served a traditional Japanese breakfast that was definitely not like our bacon and eggs at home.  Some items were tasty (poached eggs cooked in hot spring water) and some were just too far afield from my routine to be tasty to me.  

Since it was raining, we bypassed revisiting one of the historic villages and got on the road to our early afternoon stop.  We did take a break where we could pick up food to eat on the bus for lunch.  Foreign convenience store food is fascinating, and we bought bags of chips, popcorn, egg and tuna sandwiches, and stuffed riceballs to sample.  It was a fun break and allowed us to choose our favorites.

This afternoon we were able to visit a blacksmith and his two assistants to watch them forge a knife blade.  A multistep process, most of the time was watching the metal heat in a coal fired pit.  But when it was retrieved to be hammered sparks (literally) began to fly.  Broken into groups of four, we rotated through the demo a couple of times to get our chance at capturing the moment the hammer hit the red hot metal.  In between, we wondered around his workshop to see the tools used to make the knives.  We also had the opportunity to purchase knives to remember our visit.  This was a great peek into an important part of the Japanese culture.

Back on the road, we arrived at our hotel in Kyoto, our home for the next three days, with time for a social hour before dinner.  This group has traveled extensively together so it's a little like a family reunion when we travel.  Dinner was a set Western style menu which leaned towards fine French cuisine.  The food was still expertly presented.  It was a nice break from the traditional menus of the last few meals.

Tomorrow: The Temples of Kyoto