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My most recent two posts, “Three Blades of Grass, and Friends” and “Table with a View”, are about a restaurant we visited on Saturday, Toganojaya (とが乃茶屋), in the Takao area in the mountains of north-west Kyoto.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/22, ISO 5600 — map & image data — nearby photos
View from the Entrance

Toganojaya (とが乃茶屋), Kyoto Japan

( we ate in the building on the right; the river is beyond and below )

Seeing me take the shot above, the proprietor kindly opened up the big parasol (the red cone-looking thing to the right of center), and I tried to get a shot with it...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/18, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos

These bamboo-and-cloth parasols are not uncommon, but they're difficult to photograph well because digital cameras can't handle their deep color, especially with the huge dynamic range of bright sunlight and dark shadows. Doesn't stop me from trying, for example, as I did here.

Anyway, back at the restaurant, dining is done in simple, airy rooms with ample views of the river and trees just outside the large open windows....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/9, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shoes Lined Up Outside

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 56 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waitress Brings Tea

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony Sees Tea

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony Drinks Tea
“Drink, Anthony, drink”
( the river is in the background, far below )

We appeared to be the first customers of the day... it was shocking, in a happy way, to have such a nice place to ourselves on such a pleasant Saturday.

After ordering, we took the opportunity to take some pictures. Anthony is not normally allowed to use the phone he carries for emergencies, but when he's with us he's allowed to use its camera, so he did...

Mommy Photo Op

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/6.3, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Out To Other Eating Areas....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/8, ISO 2500 — map & image data — nearby photos
...and Down to the River

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony's Warabimochi

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mommy's Cold Noodles

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Noodle Dip Prep

The prices were reasonable, and the food was good.

Like those in Kibune, this restaurant is sandwiched between the scenic beauty of the river on one side, and the decidedly unscenicness of a thoroughfare on the other.

As nice as this restaurant is once you're inside, there's no hint of that from the front, which is less than uninviting...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Roadside View
less than inviting

Across the street is a large free public parking lot, and paths that lead to an unseen Kousan Temple, a world heritage site, tucked away up in the mountain. The lot was almost empty when we arrived, but packed with cars and tour busses by the time we left.

We opted to save the temple for a later visit. but we did head down to the river after eating, which I'll opt to save for a later post, here.

Update: I finally got to the Kosan Temple across the street, two years later: Big, Moody Space of the Kosan Temple in Northwest Kyoto.

Continued here...