By rights, we should’ve been drenched our whole entire trip. Visiting Japan at the start of their rainy season, I expected rain and lots of it. But it wasn’t until our fourth day that it actually did. A bit of a drizzle, but nothing drastic.

And because I’m the type to romanticise the rain when it’s not pouring on my own roof, I thought a clear umbrella added the perfect touch to my Kyoto pics. Of course FamilyMart had the foldable ones as well for the purpose of convenience but I was happy to inconvenience myself for the sake of art.

Kyoto Station — and its surrounding shopping centre called Kyoto Porta — from a renewed perspective borne out of good night’s sleep, was spectacular. If an architect and a fitness fanatic had a baby, this place would be it. The steel trusses provided an interesting silver canopy like it was heaven itself condescendingly looking down on you huffing and puffing away as you walked up the endless flights of stairs that would lead you to Katsukura, a restaurant known for its high-quality tonkatsu — breaded and deep-fried pork cutlets sourced from select farms that probably played classical music to the pigs as they drifted off to sleep at night.

Beethoven and Mozart bursting in your tongue with every bite.

Dining there was definitely an experience in itself. As soon as we were seated, the kids were given a basket of toys to pick from. Something to preoccupy them while waiting, I suppose. Meanwhile, the adults were given a mortar and pestle of sesame seeds which we instinctively ground to dust out of sheer naivete. This was to be the base for our choice of sauce.

I have to say the food was actually really good. The pork was tender and sweet and there was a lightness to it that didn’t feel heavy in the stomach, you know what I mean?

But then again, I feel like Japan has mastered their batter game to perfection. It’s a sensory experience looking at the delicateness of the coating and then hearing that crunch as you cut into it and tasting a burst of flavours as all the other ingredients come into play.

To make the tonkatsu even more delicious, Dennis and May-Ann announced that the meal was on them to celebrate their anniversary or something. Or someone’s birthday, whatever. It was very generous of them and I was only too happy to oblige being a grateful recipient of their kindness.

As always.

*Raven at 7 years old