The way of the samurai

The sun was back when we woke which meant it was going to be hot outside… and it was. We sweated away on the 20-minute walk from our hotel to the Nishiki food markets for breakfast.

We had a pretty big schedule today but it was all in the vicinity of Nishiki so once we were there it wasn’t too much walking between destinations.

Food on offer in Nishiki

Mini octopus, anyone?

Nishiki food markets is great. It is an enclosed road that runs for about 200m. Maybe ‘road’ is too generous a term. Perhaps alley is a better description. Either side of the alley for its entire length are food and drink shops. Some are proper walk-in shops while others are more like stalls. You can get everything from fresh seafood and fruit to baked goods, dessert items and a variety of street foods.

We stopped at a bakery which had a hidden garden out the back to sit and eat. We’ll return to the Nishiki food markets later.

After eating we made the short walk to a samurai and ninja museum. The kids found the museum fascinating with all of its historical explanations, authentic armours and more katanas than you can throw a ninja star at.

Teneille holding a really big gun.

The museum experience starts with a guided tour through each of the rooms and then you can back track at the conclusion of the session and spend as much time looking back over things now you fully understood the meaning behind everything.

Our guide, Mae, explained the societal structure during the time of the samurai. He showed us various weapons, armour and other tools used by people at the time. Aiden wasn’t overly impressed when Mae explained a child born into a samurai family would be sent to the battlefields once they turned 12. Kids these days. Honestly.

Japanese society during the samurai age had a strict pyramid structure. The emperor sat at the top of the pyramid although the role was largely ceremonial. Shoguns sat below the emperor and ran everything. Below them were the daimyo who where like the governors of their districts. Then came the samurai who made up about 10 per cent of a district and below them were the ninjas, whose primary function was really farming the land. Merchants and artisans came last.

The age of the samurai ended with the invention of the gun. The shoguns didn’t want to give up the old ways while the emperor figured gun trumps sword. A civil war broke out which the emperor won because yeah, guns really do beat swords. The capital was moved from Kyoto to Edo (later renamed Tokyo) and the age of the samurai came to an end.

Samurai armour with moustaches built in to hide the warrior’s true age.

Our tour allowed us to handle weapons of the period, include several katanas, which Aiden was super keen on swinging, as well as guns from the period which took 30 seconds to fire. The tour ended in a styrofoam room where the 30-ish people in our tour were each given a ninja star to practice throwing at the targets painted on the wall. After a few attempts Mae declared the last throw would be judged and the closest to the bullseye would be the ninja champion. I don’t want to brag or anything but my shuriken was closest so I’m like totally a ninja or whatever. I got to keep my shuriken as a trophy.

We went back through the museum at our own pace including a corridor lined with fake bamboo on either side. No-one even asked if it was, like, real bamboo, like. Because it was obvious.

Kairi dressed as a ninja.

We had a traditional green tea ceremony in the afternoon so headed back to the food markets after the museum experience to have a further look around. The kids had some candied fruit and pancakes at a little dessert stall. And Teneille tried sake at another. She did not care for it.

Aiden enjoying the food of Nishiki.

We had our tea ceremony at Nishiki Orizuruya, a 100-year-old townhouse that used to belong to a geisha known as the ‘Cinderella of Japan’ after marrying into a wealthy American family.

Before the ceremony we had to split into two groups so we could get changed. Aiden and I headed to our change room to select kimonos while the girls did the same. Aiden and I ended up waiting a while longer after we done because girls take ages to get ready. That, and theirs also included getting their hair done.

Once suitable attired, we headed upstairs to the tea room where our host Ryoto explained the ritual of making green tea and the four key principles of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. We all knelt on the mat, ate our mochi cake and then made our matcha tea using the bamboo whisk provided. Ryoto said the last sip of you tea should include a bit a slurp to show respect to your host.

The kids didn’t care for the tea but did well drinking it and were very respectful. We had to wait to leave after the ceremony ended because my legs had completely gone to sleep and the pins and needles that followed were intense. Luckily, I have a very supportive family who just let it pass without pushing on my feet. Once circulation to my legs was restored we went back downstairs to get changed and head into the evening.

Dinner at a little restaurant we found in a side street.

While walking back to the hotel we found a small restaurant in a side street we thought we’d try for dinner. Emily ate her bowl of udon noodles and Kairi made a good effort at her fried chicken and rice. Aiden wasn’t keen on his wagyu strips because they were very lightly cooked and now what he had expected. It was a cute little place with traditional Japanese tables you use by sitting on the floor with cushions.

It was then home to bed. Tomorrow we visit a shrine.