Comments on: O-hayō from Kyoto – and Mister Donut

By: Erin

Erin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:27:53 +0000

Mister Donut was a life saver in Japan! I was even part of the “MisDo Club” when I was little and collected points to get free gifts. Ebi Gratin and Golden Chocolate are my all-time faves. Love your photos.

By: Jacqueline Church

Jacqueline Church — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:30:36 +0000

Isn’t it amazing to see the Maiko (Geisha-in-training) walking through the city of Kyoto? I was constantly knocked out by the ultra modern (ten years ago everyone had cell phones the size of a pack of gum) right next to the ancient. Everywhere.

Did you make it to the Cha-do temple? The Tea Ceremony birthplace? One day I’ll show you one of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken, shot there.

My husband just surprised me with a Nikon D40 so I’m hoping to win that Food Bloggers contest to see you all in Mexico. I was in Ixtapa and Zihuantanenjo ages ago. Too long away from Mexico is not good for the soul.

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:35:57 +0000

Love your blog and those donuts look delicious. My wife and I just started a new blog about a month ago. We just added you to our blogroll since we visit your site all the time.

By: Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas

Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:41:18 +0000

Oooh… I don’t normally eat doughnuts… but I will definitely give those beauties a try if I find myself in Kyoto. Hehe, not sure if it is the pastries or just your skill at capturing them on film! Delish looking either way!

By: Mélanie

Mélanie — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:48:36 +0000

I’ve never been to Japan, but it’s on my trip list (soooo long list!), so thank you for sharing your adventure with us.

By: Marc @ NoRecipes

Marc @ NoRecipes — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:38:41 +0000

Glad to hear your found your way into a Japanese fast food joint. For years I avoided american chains in Japan like the plague, but once I had to duck into a Denny’s to get out of a monsoon downpour. I figured I’d just get an ice coffee and leave, but once I sat down and saw all the pretty pictures I ended up ordering a pasta carbonara which changed everything.

Try all the convenience store junk food too (chips, soda, candy etc). Oh and you have to try the ブルガリアヨーグルト “Bulgaria Yogurt”. It’s the best yogurt EVER.

By: Hélène

Hélène — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:55:13 +0000

I feel I’m on the trip with you guys. So well written and love the pictures.

By: Signe

Signe — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:29:22 +0000

I lived in Japan many years ago (1979-1983) so I don’t know if this is still the case but at that time all of the coffee shops served “morningu” which was a bargain western style breakfast with a Japanese twist. For the price of a what a cup of coffee would cost later in the day, you could get, for example: a cup of jo, a piece of French bread cut 1-2 inches thick, a boiled egg and a small salad (that’s the Japanese twist) or some variation on that theme. There are also wonderful European style bakeries which have a great selection of breads, cakes, etc. If you stay at a Japanese ryokan or even one of the great big onsen (hot spring) hotels, you will get a traditional Japanese breakfast which is really wonderful: miso soup, rice, a piece of broiled fish, natto, seaweed, egg omelete, and pickles (tsukemono). Incidentally, in those days (but it may still be true) if you went to a “love hotel” after 11 or so at night, you could get a great suite (bedroom, bath, and little sitting room – with a thermos of hot water and green tea provided) for the night very cheap (for approximately what it would cost for an hour earlier in the evening) but you would have to leave fairly early in the morning and of course couldn’t leave your gear there the next day. When we arrived in Japan, we pitched our tent along the river in Kyoto and left our tent pitched there for a week with no problem. It was pretty unusual then but no one told us to move. We rented bikes and left the tent up with our sleeping gear in it while we explored the city by day, but stored everything else at the train station, and left the bikes outside the tent at night, locked but not locked to anything. I wonder if we could still get away with that today!

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:27:08 +0000

Japan is just not a place for morning people. Very few places are open before 9am, with the majority getting things started closer to 10.
At least in Tokyo, breakfast options are pretty much limited to small set meals at fast food type joints or McDonalds. The army of salarymen don’t seem to mind though and they’re always packed…

By: Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:20:57 +0000

Huh who would have thought that Mr. Donut would be the place to visit! I have to say, I’m not a donut person, but those look damn good.