Bravery

​Being brave can look very different for different people and for different situations. Sometimes it is jumping out of a plane, stepping up to protect someone in danger, speaking in front of a large crowd, running into a burning building, but sometimes it is just taking a chance on something that makes you feel uncomfortable. We did that tonight, and I think it will be one of my most memorable evenings.

Because we were coming to Japan, our algorithms on social media had been giving Jessica and I plenty of ideas of things to do and try in Japan. We took note of some, hoping they were accurate and yet skeptical. Tonight is our first night in Kyoto, and our first night figuring out Japan on our own. We decided to take a recommendation off of Instagram for our dinner.

It led us down a tiny alley just off a major road that’s bright lights and pricey storefronts was reminiscent of New York City, and yet, you could easily walk past this unremarkable alleyway and not even notice it.

Do you see all the different hanging signs? Those are all for different restaurants. Each wooden panel is a sliding door that opens up where there is just enough room (I truly mean just enough) for 4-6 stools before a bar behind which is the chef. I’ve seen walk-in closets that were larger than these restaurants. Instagram users had recommended one of these, but it appeared to be full. The one next door was empty. We hemmed and hawed. How do we order? What kind of food is it? Is it a true restaurant? It’s empty, is that bad? But we were brave and slid back that wooden panel.

An older man greeted us with a smile and pointed toward the open stools. While his English was infinitely better than my Japanese, we communicated through broken English, Google Translate, big gestures, and kind smiles.

He started with something we understood. He pointed to a beer bottle, a wine bottle, and a sake bottle. We chose sake and were able to communicate that we wanted the small glasses. It was delicious! Simple, light, and no burn whatsoever.

At this point, I don’t honestly remember if we asked for food, or if it just appeared, or if we just nodded yes to words that he spoke. (I promise the confusion is just due to the true lack of understanding of what was going on rather than the sake. 😉) But, in front of each of us appeared tofu. Did we order it? Not that I know of. But then again, my favorite meals are always the ones where the person who knows more about the meal just orders for me! Tofu is not something I ever order at home, but this was light, airy, and full of flavor!

I struggled a bit with my chopsticks and this consistency, but I was thankful I powered through! When we finished the small portion, about half a stick of butter, we didn’t know what to do next. Was there more food? There were pots and a tiny stove. Was this more of a bar? But what are all the plates for? Is it rude to ask for more? We had so many questions!

But instead, we enjoyed chatting with our host however possible. He asked about our trip: how long were we traveling, where were we going, where we were from, and what we had done in Kyoto. He told us of his favorite spots in Kyoto. He helped us perfect some of our incredibly few Japanese words. In the corner, he had a small television with the news on. We were able to talk about the recent bear attacks in Japan, and Jess even shared a photo from her brother’s house in the mountains with a young bear in the backyard. World Cup news was shared, and he cheered at the USA win, smiling at us.

After mustering up the courage, hoping that he now knew we certainly weren’t meaning to be rude after our conversation, we used Google Translate to ask if there was more food we could order. He smiled and shook his head yes. Soon, beef wagyu stew appeared in front of us. It was so flavorful! Once again, just a delightfully small portion of a food I didn’t pick out. 

It was when we finished this that we decided we’d like more time with our gentle host, so we ordered another sake. At this point, a woman walked in with her shopping bag and sat down at the bar. The man immediately poured her a glass of wine and put the beef stew in front her. Obviously, she was a regular, and I loved seeing their “Everybody Knows Your Name” relationship.

He looked back at us and questioningly said, “sashimi”? To which we just nodded our heads. It is raw fish, and we knew that. When in Rome, right? He put a stunning plate in front of that we devoured! 

We asked about the fish after we ate (I’ve learned this is ALWAYS a better option). The white fish is called tai and while it was good, I mostly tasted soy sauce. The octopus (on the far right) didn’t have much flavor and the texture was not my favorite, but it was far from terrible. It was the bright red in the middle that was divine! He called it “maguro,” but after Googling it, I’ve learned that’s just the Japanese word for tuna! 

As you can only imagine, beautiful chopsticks are a popular souvenir here. But it is the chopstick rests that are even cuter! It is going to be very hard to choose the perfect one(s) to take home! Some are funny like flattened cats, asparagus, or a pan with a fried egg. Others are simple, but elegantly designed with every color of the rainbow. Some are beautiful flowers or even the majestic Mt. Fuji. But, looking over at the other woman sharing this bar stool with us, we noticed she had folded the paper the chopsticks came in into her own little rest for her chopsticks. I’ve gotten good at “excuse me” in Japanese, and I was able to get her attention. Our expressions of delight and wonder showed our true curiosity and she eagerly showed us how to do it! (Fold it in thirds, half, and then fold in the ends just a bit.) 

We made such a big deal about it that our host then pulled out two lovely chopstick rests and said, “Gift for you!” 

I hope I’ve been able to convey the joy this evening brought me! We took a chance, and it paid off tenfold! And just because I’m sure some of you are wanting to know, just how much did this three course private dinner with two sakes each cost? $25 for the two of us. Total. While things in Japan have not been cheap, delicious food has been!

Let this be a lesson to us all: be brave, even on the little things. You may miss out on something remarkable behind a sliding door!