Port Kobe (Kyoto Adventure)Japan- 1 of 3

Our visit to Kobe (yes, the one with the beef and the inspiration for naming the amazing Kobe Bryant-RIP) was a whirlwind two days of visiting Kobe, a Geisha experience, Kyoto and then visiting Osaka.

We did not see a lot of Kobe except the lights and excitement of the evenings there since we were there overnight. As for the Kobe steaks, we did not have one but we have had so many incredible meals and delicious steaks, that it was fine with us. By the way, there are Kobe steaks AND steaks from Kobe … and yes, they are very different. There are only 3,000 head of cattle per year certified to be made into Kobe steaks, all the rest are just really good steaks. So just to complicate, every Kobe steak is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. Kobe, is a variety of Wagyu. Wagyu refers to any cattle that is bred in Japan. Kobe beef is comprised of a very particular strain of Wagyu called Tajima-Gyu that is raised to strict standards in the prefecture of Hyogo (capital of Kobe). Ready for this: to be labelled Kobe, bullock (steer) or virgin cow, Tajima-Gyu born within Hyogo Prefecture, fed on a farm within Hyogo Prefecture, meat processed within Hyogo Prefecture, marbling rating (BMS) of 6 or higher on a 12 point scale, meat quality rating of 4 or higher on a 5 point scale and an overall weight not exceeding 470 kg. The meticulous care of these cattle easily bump up the price. Not only are they fed a strict, top-of-the-line diet, these cattle are bred for greatness and taken excellent care of … including massages to keep them tender.

Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is a modern city and one of the country's ten largest cities with a population of 1.5 million people (larger metro is 3.8 million). Over its 11 centuries as the capital, Kyoto was destroyed by many wars, earthquakes and fires, but still contains 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto Shrines as well as palaces and gardens. We visited the Nijo-jo Castle and in the afternoon after a traditional Japanese lunch, the Ryōan-ji and the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.

Kyoto is one of the oldest municipalities in Japan, having been chosen in 794 as the new seat of Japan's imperial court by Emperor Kanmu. The emperors of Japan ruled from Kyoto in the following eleven centuries until 1869. The capital was relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo after the Meiji Restoration (a key time with the end of the Shogun, the period of the Emperors and the time when U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry came & Western influence began) . Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan. And the internationally renowned video game company Nintendo is based in Kyoto.Read more