This week - Obon week - is one of Japan's 3 major holiday seasons.
Obon is a yearly celebrated Buddhist holiday that spans around 1 week in August, though changes date depending on which region you are in (Obon in Tokyo is celebrated in July). During Obon, it is believed that the dead return from the spirit world to visit relatives - who light lanterns to guide their family's spirits home.
In Kobe, at the end of Obon week, there is a grand fireworks display across the Osaka Bay, over the city of Sannomiya. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing view from my balcony, where I tried my best to caption the show!
Japanese fireworks are famous for their intense colours and brilliant shapes (none of which could I capture!) - hearts, smiley faces, animals - as well as the usual giant globes of lights we're used to. The festival of lights went on for an entire hour, and amazingly, is free for everyone in the city!
Finally, to celebrate our last days in Kobe - before we begin our last few weeks of travelling - we go out for the fabled, Kobe beef. I'd had it previously, which was an amazing, delicious experience; however, like any steak, it comes in a variety of cuts and prices. Tonight, my wife and I decided to go for the best of the best.
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| When in Kobe |
We arrived at our tiny Kobe beef specialist restaurant, which seated about 6 people, with salivating delight. The smells from the teppanyaki cooking table were unreal. The restaurant was comprised of Kobe beef chef, sous chef, and waitress/sommelier - 3 staff for 6 diners! We chose 3 cuts of beef - all the most premium - which I couldn't tell you what exactly they were, 1 was a filet, 1 was a rump/sirloin type (?) and 1 was listed as the most rare and choicest which you can see is the foremost cut of beef. This thing was the most marbled steak I have ever seen.
Long dining experience-short: The chef was like watching a meat artist at work. His knives slipped through the flesh like butter (they almost tasted like butter), as he prepared every individual bite of your food. Steak - layered with grilled garlic - butter, and various dips to gently flavour each morsel. We were instructed to try it naked (so juicy, creamy, and rich), then with garlic chips (worked beautifully), then with each sauce as desired (there was a soya based, and a few others I have no idea). This was the best steak dining experience, ever. The wine married the flavours of the meat perfectly, and the salad (and rice) cleansed the rich palate between each bite. Sublime.
As I said earlier - your Kobe beef experience can be (fairly) cheap, or very expensive. I clearly preferred this more (re: most ever) expensive dining experience as the atmosphere, intimacy, and quality really did shine throughout. but you should definitely eat to your budget as either way you won't go wrong.
Stay tuned as we move out of Kobe - and fly to the pacific islands of Okinawa!
