As we have done in the past, we started our Christmas by taking in the free Christmas-Eve concert in the lobby of the Kyoto Hotel Okura, our fourth year in a row (having done it in 2006, 2005, and 2004). Fumie's dad is in Malaysia at the moment, so her mom joined us as well.

Prior to the concert, the hotel passes out free champaign and juice....

Nikon D200 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/90 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sharp-Dressed Elf

Then there's the concert. This time was a very nice choir of about 50 kids, but unfortunately, they brought their families so even though we got there very early, there wasn't a chair to be had anywhere.

Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — ¹/45 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sold Out

Later, we asked one of the hotel staff to take our picture, but the quality of the result reflected its low price...

Nikon D200 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — ¹/60 sec, f/1.4, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fuzzy Christmas Eve

We brought home a huge roast-beef meal from the hotel kitchen. It was excellent, but the star were the au gratin potatoes. I've had some excellent au gratin potatoes in my life, but sorry Mom, these were by far the best. If you ever get a chance to visit Kyoto's Hotel Okura, try the au gratin potatoes.