Is Japanese Vegan Food Actually Good?

We sat for an hour in silent zazen, a Buddhist seated meditation practice, on a small cushion. It's meant to stimulate your five senses and improve concentration. You can even ask for the 'awakening stick' to gently reset your focus, which Ryotaro experienced! It's harder than you think to concentrate, especially when your feet are frozen, but the smell of incense, crisp air, and sound of the bell create a heightened state of awareness. It's a nice, refreshing way to start the day, even if I was fighting sleep at 9 AM.

We had an early lunch at a nearby restaurant serving Shojin Ryori, traditional Buddhist vegan cuisine. It's an array of wonderful, multicolored dishes, 100% vegan, even if some items like mushrooms or tempura might initially make you think otherwise. I tried sesame tofu with wasabi, vegetable tempura, deep-fried Koya tofu with ginger sauce and mushrooms, sashimi konyaku potato sliced to look like sashimi, soba buckwheat noodles with seaweed, and sticky rice wrapped in seaweed. The tempura was an absolute miracle, making freshly picked vegetables so much better. Be aware that while soba or udon noodles are vegan, their dipping sauces often contain fish; ask for a konbu (seaweed) based broth instead.

We journeyed out into the countryside to see one of Tohoku's most picturesque temples by go-kart! We rented a 50CC go-kart that can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h. It's a bit weird and a rare sight to see a chubby foreigner driving a go-kart down the road, but it's a surprisingly comfortable and fun way to explore the countryside. Despite getting slapped in the face with numerous flies, I now want one – it's as fast as a scooter but with the comfort of a real chair. We drove to the Takkoku no Iwaya temple, a dramatic spot with a sinister history.