古都風情 Once Upon a Time in Kyoto

常去東京, 重遊京都卻是多年來首度, 對千年繁華的印象停留在上世紀末的初夏：清水寺碧意森森的竹林和宇治金時淡苦回甘, 我和好友D白恤衫白布鞋汗流浹背踏遍往山門的石階, 年輕的惶恐, 又是那麼氣盛的雄心, 等不及要看這世界...

冷!  出了京都車站趕緊圍上毛帽毛耳罩, 古都獨有的沈斂莊重, 自然而然讓人放緩腳步, 靜謐品味湛藍的天, 徐徐龍吟的清風, 冬陽金光遍撒的壯麗, 或者, 自己的存在.  一期一會, 多年前青春正盛時我造訪你, 而今偕夫擕子, 你可還認得？

While reading the latest short story collection by Karen Russell, 'Vampires in The Lemon Grove',  I came across a thought provoking line:  Regret is a pilgrimage back to the place where I was free to choose.

My christmas trip back to Kyoto was not so much in the theme of regrets but it was reflective. Wisdom speaks to those who listen.

京美人含蓄, 雖美色絶豔, 不容輕凟.  那天時差早起, 趕在觀光人潮前逛清水坂, 晨霧中兩位粉粧藝妓(舞妓)嬝嬝婷婷, 時高屐漫步, 時雅舖佇足, 香風細細, 如一幀著色古畫明信片, 定格似水流年.

I have been fascinated with the writings of Mishima Yukio and Akutagawa Ryunosuke since adolescence:  the ardent obsession with the fragility of mankind and the expression of ephemeral beauty.  In Kyoto, the very definition of perfection seems to materialize from art to architecture and from the rouge of a geisha to the glaze of a tea bowl.  Beauty reveals only to those who appreciate.  

京料理則如金泥封印的情書, '山有木兮木有枝, 心悅君兮君不知'.  穿越飄雪的十二月天, 我們來到菊乃井用饍, 和服女中微笑迎客,引領至偌大的獨立和室備餐, 榻榻米散發藺草清香, 落地畫窗面著枯山水庭園, 時間彷彿靜止, 留住一片悠然.  懷石宴以季節荀味'八寸'揭幕, 其間冷燻鮭繡毬壽司, 靈感來自村田大廚童年, 上學途中窺見竹籬笆內粉豔山茶花, 化知好色則慕少艾的旖旎爲舌尖美味.  天寒料峭熱食討好, 炭窯銅盆'強肴'鴨鍋一上桌, 九條蔥綠意襲人, 箸未舉已微醺, 結尾的帶骨河豚雜炊鮮甜暖胃更為絶妙.  此時另一位和服美女來侍客, 比先前女中年輕但粧容豔麗, 操流利英語, 原來是大廚的千金, 親切的解説父親廚藝理念, 圓滿了賓至如歸氛圍.

Kaiseki at the Kikunoi is about the lore of presenting nature culinarily.  We caught the winter tale where the season's best was expressed in a lush collage of texture and color, step by step, warming the palate, romancing the senses that to enjoy the feast called for feeling and comprehending every nuance.

京職人一生懸命, 識技藝爲修心修行, 街坊臥虎藏龍, 巷弄名店處處, 上回提起錦市場的'有次'庖丁, 書法沈香印章本家'鳩居堂', 線條簡約手工製作掀領風潮的'一澤帆布'(兄弟鬩牆品牌糾紛亦曲折離奇)... 逛著逛著來到鴨川河畔, 沿岸老舖料亭林立, 巴洛克建築洋樓'東華菜館', 内有古典拉門式昇降梯, 恍若懷舊電影場景.

Kyoto has a long and glorious tradition of crafts.  Artisans devote their lives to mastery and infuse the unique sensibility into everyday objects.  Strolling the streets lined with specialty boutiques of washi paper, kimono prints, incense, silk fans, gilded lacquer… the pure delight brought by these time capsules of culture.   

京都之美予以日本文學泉湧靈感, 三島由紀夫'金閣寺'偏執壯烈, 川端康成'古都'自抑優雅, 每個轉角皆有文人們生活軌跡.  來到壽喜燒名店三嶋亭午餐, 豐腴的牛肉據說是大文豪川端康成生前最愛.  和服女中屈膝跪坐, 嫻雅的執長筷以奶油刷香鐵鍋, 輕輕翻煎豆腐時蔬, 焦甜脂味讓人食指大動.

衹園花見小路氣質風流, 每處茶屋都保有美麗的秘密.  遍嚐各式各樣綠茶精製的甜點後我們踏入專售棉布巾的永樂屋伊兵衛, 長廊盡頭別有洞天, 暮靄沈沈的楓葉庭園鑲著玻璃暖房, 忍不住再叫壺熱茶坐下, 品茗也品味眼前浮世繪.

The nostalgic Gion where the geishas entertain is Kyoto style in its finest.  Sophisticated and beguiling, the Hanami Lane houses charming tea salon and famed ryotei.  A humble entrance could lead to a perfectly composed zen garden that one almost wish never having to leave…  

聖誕夜於京都渡過, 享用京風烤鰻魚飯, 小店只有一位廚師一位女侍, 卻盛名遠播, 夜色方臨, 閣樓和室預先訂位饕客陸續入座, 每個都像充滿期待的老朋友.  當漆碗揭盅鰻肝清湯香氣撲鼻, 木桶滿鋪燒得外酥內軟的鰻魚, 一碗接一碗浸潤醬汁的晶瑩米飯, 讚嘆聲此起彼落… 飯後循著華燈初上的花見小路散步, 想到D電郵的聖誕卡, 當年跳級資優有點tomboy的帥氣女生如今是三女之母, 與創投家丈夫定居香港, 忍不住回她:  Guess where I am?  Kyoto!  D提起我們在東京誤闖田舍家, 兩個女生坐在ㄧ羣大男人中間處變不驚享用道地爐端燒, 搭快車到京都擠傳統旅社走哲學之道… 頓覺惆悵, 十多年忽忽然而過, 心頭不知是悲是喜, 或許得再來碗鰻肝湯鰻魚飯.

Christmas eve in Kyoto was otherworldly with 'unagi' for our christmas feast.  Practically a hole in the wall yet impeccably maintained with one chef, one waitress, and a modest grill, Gion U was actually garnered with one Michelin star(not like the snobbery nonsense really matters :) The eel liver consomme and grilled eel topped rice were heavenly!!!  For my dear blogger friends who have followed my blog long enough, you must know my habit of pairing a piece of music to a great meal like singing O Mio Babbino Caro after the dejeuner at L'Ambrosie.  'Once Upon a Time in America - Deborah's Theme' by Morricone could be the perfect ending here, wouldn't you agree?  :)