John and Jean: Hakone with Sumiko and Kenji - Narukawa Art Museum - Hakone Shrine - Lunch at Souan

Up early to peel the rest of the potatoes for the Squadron Thanksgiving this morning.

This is the batch from last night...

one more like it coming up!

The herbs for the stuffing are ready...should be a

really good lunch!!

However, John and I are headed to Hakone with Sumiko and Kengi, Japanese friends of Jill's. They are delightful folks and wanted to share their favorite lunch spot with us. It was an overcast day so didn't have much hope of seeing Mt. Fuji this time. Last year we had some spectacular pictures of it from here.

Our first stop was at the Narukawa Art Museum. It's a small gallery in a hotel and had some

wonderful sculptures...

some incredible kaleidoscopes...inside

and out!

and this was a 3' round paper cut of the

12 different symbols for the Japanese zodiac.

Really incredible detail...beautiful!

This was a full sized four section screen.

And this was the most magnificent of all...

a real picture from the picture window with

Mt. Fuji above the clouds!

We then headed around the lake to the red tori

gate in the picture...the Hakone Shrine.

We climbed up the steps to the shrine itself

and they showed us how the Shinto pray there.

Then back into the car and around to our lunch spot.

Welcome to Souan

A wonderful setting with wonderful folks.

First Course - smoked salmon, ham and pork with
a bannock consomme...We had fresh homemade
ginger ale to drink.

Next for Jean was steamed fish with fresh vegetables

and baby row on radishes...delicious!

John and Sumiko had this pork aspic.

followed by shrimp and ravioli soup...

then beef in wine sauce with assorted vegetables...

followed by egg and rice soup to cleanse the palate.

followed by chocolate mousse

and sesame pudding for dessert.

One of the best restaurant meals I have ever had. It was all beautifully presented and the flavors of each course blended incredibly well. The waiter was delightful. What a wonderful treat. After some coffee and conversation we headed back into town and a quick stop at the