The Bewilderment Of Kansai

The remarkable agriculture, local cuisine, architecture and natural beauty of Kansai continues to enrapture its visitors.

- Isabella Tan

OSAKA IS THE REGIONAL capital of Kansai, and Kansai Airport is its gateway to explore the beauty of the region. Travellers are spoilt for choice, as there are many transport options to choose from, and by purchasing a ‘Kansai One Pass’ ICOCA card, travellers will be able to travel around freely on the JR lines, subways, private railways and buses. The ICOCA card cannot be used on the Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train) and stations of different JR companies but the card can be used in shops, facilities and vending machines that accept ICOCA electronic money.

KICKING IT OFF IN KYOTO PREFECTURE

Upon arrival in Kyoto, we had our dinner at Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort, a fusion of Kyoto and French cuisine that uses only the freshest Kyoto vegetables and meat. With an exclamation of ‘Itadakimasu!’ (bon appétit or let’s eat in Japanese), we hurriedly dig into the freshly prepared food that are a reflection of what’s available in Kyoto – warm pumpkin and carrot soup, risotto with codfish, venison with carrot puree and an array of desserts. Each dish is done with such care and perfection that we’re only left desiring more as each plate empties.

From Funatsuru Kyoto Kamogawa Resort, we head out to Himiko, to experience a local Japanese style pub. At Himiko, seafood is the most recommended thing to order as the seafood is caught fresh from the Sea of Japan. If feeling adventurous, puffer fish is available for order, and in winter, when crab is in season, ordering the matsuba kani crab is a must. The crab can be prepared grilled or raw; either way, the crab will make anyway exclaim ‘oishii!’ in delight.