How are you doing? We have been baptized by the Japanese rich nature, from extreme hot weather to the strong typhoon.
Anyway, as you already know, we moved to Miyama, Kyoto, from Barcelona, and renovated an abandoned Japanese thatched roof house and opened an inn. We had been worried pretty much if some guests will come and stay here or not. But, in the mid-July, the first guests stayed in our inn! The first day is always difficult, but we served them without any problem, and they looked pretty happy. After that, people started asking for reservation. Guess what? From mid-August to the end of August, our inn was full!! Thanks god!
Actually it might thank to Daruma.
About 10 years ago, we visited Takasaki city that is famous for Daruma. Draruma is a doll that the Japanese people often buy this doll to set a goal. When you buy the doll, it has no eyes. So, you write one eye upon setting the goal, and you work on it hard, then you can write another eye when you fulfill the goal. So, Tina liked Daruma a lot. Since then, when we start a big project, we write one eye on it, then, and write another eye when we complete the project.
Thanks to Daruma or not, there was another memorable thing this summer.
My photo book was published in Italy this summer, and the books arrived at our house in Miyama! This photo book is designed and bonded in a very original way. Hope you will have a chance to take a look!!
Well, but everything was not good this summer. Especially, the heat of Kyoto was crazy. We have several days over 37 Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) in Miyama that is certified as “heavy snow area” by the Kyoto government. Even Tina who grew up in Barcelona with the Mediterranean sun was shocked with the heat and humidity here.
Our inn has air conditioners but next to the inn, our house has no air conditioner. When we could not stand anymore, we jumped into the river just one minute walk from our house. It has been a long time since I swam in the river last time. But it was so nice! Tina who loves the ocean also liked it a lot. Actually now, the summer is over and we are relieved, but at the same time, we are a little bit sad that we will not be able to swim in the river anymore.
Since we are living in the house without air conditioner, the people in our villages seemed to be worried about us. Our neighbors sometimes give us their vegetables, but this summer it looks like they gave us more than usual. : )
Oh, talking about food.
You might think that we cannot get fresh fish in the deep mountain village of Miyama. Wrong! Once a week, a mobile truck fish shop brings fresh sea food straight from a port town of Obama on the Sea of Japan. The root from Obama city to Kyoto city is called “Mackerel Road” and the root passes by our inn in Miyama.
So, we bought salted mackerel this time from the truck to make “Shimesaba”, marinated mackerel with salt and vinegar. The mackerel was salted already, so I just needed to slice them and soak into rice vinegar. It was so delicious with Shiso leaves that our neighbor gave us! By the way, in our village there is a local food, “Fermented Sushi of Mackerel”, and we have a competition of “Sushi of Mackerel” as well. Hope I can introduce these our local foods in this vlog.
Well, well, well, we are a little bit tired of the summer heat, but the harvest of rice has started. We have heard that the rice of Miasma is really delicious. We cannot wait for eating the newly harvested rice.
See you soon!