After a well-rested night we were ready for a second round of the gorgeous and delicious Japanese traditional cuisine. And then Shiraume gave breakfast a whole new meaning.

We woke up comfortably on our futons at 7 am-ish and got ready for our breakfast. At 8 am sharp — the Japanese don’t get late, ever, everything and everyone seems to be working with the same time on their clock, and no second is wasted — two older ladies, come into our room, give us our morning English newspaper, open the windows to let the morning light in, and, as if orchestrated by an invisible maestro, in complete silence, they prepare everything for our breakfast on the table in our room.

The immense breakfast was served.

Miso soup with onions.

Shiraume logo on the chopsticks wrapper.

Grilled halibut.

Tamago with radish.

Tofu and leek soup with fried fluffy dough.

Rice topped with seaweed and sweet sesame seeds.

Tomoko-san suggested to grab a bit of the rice wrapping it with nori.

Lena digs in.

Assorted pickles.

Cantaloupe for dessert.

Nothing was left on the plates. And again, we were told the chef would be happy to know that.

Minutes later, Tomoko-san comes in bringing us the rest of our enormous breakfast, asks how we spent the night, tells us it’s a beautiful day out, and explain us what our breakfast is. And again, we indulge on a massive and delicious Japanese breakfast, complete with rice, fish, tamago, nori and miso soup, and take in all our surroundings for the rest of the morning.

Spending the night on a ryokan — especially one right in the middle of Gion district — and have the opportunity to feel all the flavors, smells, shapes and colors of both meals was definitely a very unique, beautiful and rewarding experience, that is meant to be done at least once in our lifetime.