Konnichiwa, fabulous food fans!
It’s Francesca here, bringing you the very official and totally tasty Day 7 report from our Japan adventure. Today had everything: sushi skills, ice cream chills, and festival thrills. Honestly, I’m not sure I can fit it all into one post, but I’ll give it my best shot between bites of crème brûlée doughnut (more on that later… 😍).
🍣 Lunch: Sushi Like a Pro (Well, Almost)
This morning we ticked off a bucket list moment — a real-life sushi-making class! 🎉 We headed to Kyoto Sushi Master for our 11am lesson, and I’ve never been so excited to wear a hairnet in my life.
Our amazing teachers showed us how to make the perfect nigiri with:
- Salmon (soft and buttery)
- Tuna (Ted’s fave)
- Eel (yep, we ate eel and survived)
- Prawn, roe, crab, and even egg
I was in sushi heaven. Ted was an absolute machine and rolled out 14 pieces faster than you can say “Wasabi alert!” He even helped Dad, who was working very methodically (aka slooooooowly). 🙄
Lucia? She ate the sushi rice straight from the bowl like a mini rice monster. 🐉
We were all super proud of our creations… and then we immediately ate them. The sushi didn’t last long — but the memories (and soy sauce stains) will live forever.
🍦 Afternoon Tea: Manga + Mango = Happy Francesca
With our bellies full of fishy goodness, we waddled through the scorching heat to the Kyoto International Manga Museum. Inside it was cool and full of so. many. books. Including some very bizarre children’s stories which Ted thought were hilarious. We learned about the history of manga, saw some amazing art, and even gave it a go ourselves!
By the time we left, we were melting faster than mochi on a hotplate, so we popped into the café for ice cream.
- I had mango (fresh, fruity and fabulous)
- Ted and Lucia both had strawberry, and let’s just say Lucia’s face wore more of it than her mouth
We headed home for a rest (and a very much-needed fan nap) before heading back out into the night…
🎇 Dinner: Gion Matsuri Night Market Madness
Okay, buckle up.
Tonight we walked into what might be the coolest street party on the planet: Gion Matsuri!
What’s Gion Matsuri?
It’s Kyoto’s most famous summer festival, held every July, with parades, lanterns, floats, traditional music, and (most importantly) amazing food stalls lining the streets. Think fireworks without the fireworks — just food, colour, and vibes.
The streets were heaving with people, music, and mouth-watering smells. We ate our way through:
- Yakisoba – fried noodles, extra saucey
- Takoyaki – octopus balls, weird but yum
- Yakitori – chicken and beef skewers in sticky BBQ goodness
- Pickled cucumbers – refreshing and weirdly perfect in the heat
- Wagyu beef skewers – literal heaven on a stick
- Toffee strawberries – sweet, crunchy, and super shareable (except Ted dropped one and Lucia ate the other half)
Then… just when we thought we couldn’t fit another bite… we discovered the crème brûlée doughnut stand.
OH.
MY.
GOSH.
Crunchy sugar top. Creamy custard inside. Donut shell. Game. Over. 🍩🔥
💬 Final Thoughts
Today was officially one of my favourites so far — not just because of the sushi or the doughnut (okay, maybe a little because of the doughnut), but because we made our own lunch, explored something new, and danced through a festival under glowing lanterns.
Japan, you’re spoiling us in our final week.
Until tomorrow’s feast,
Francesca (plus Ted, Lucia, Mum, Dad… and a million lanterns) 🌸🍣🧡
P.S. Lucia now thinks sushi is finger food for toddlers. We’re not arguing. She’s terrifying with soy sauce.
Ted Tastes Francesca Feasts 
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