I went to a Japanese restaurant in front of the gate of a famous Inari shrine.
I ordered udon noodles with shrimp tempura.
I was surprised at the udon that came out.
The shrimp that floated on top of the udon was the size of a pinky fingernail.
The baby shrimp was covered with a batter that was spread out in a spectacular manner.
Perhaps he was the best at spreading the batter.
Of course, the udon and the soup tasted bad.
I was too angry at the baby shrimp to taste them.
But we were charged for our meal.
Most of the restaurants in front of famous temples and shrines are like this.
Why is this? The answer is simple.
It is because tourists are constantly coming without any effort on the part of the store.
There is no need to devise ways to make good udon.
There is no need to be constantly amiable so as not to be abandoned by the regulars.
They can keep the privilege of a good location and continue to run the store for decades.
Tourists don't have a choice of stores when they stop by a temple or shrine for lunch.
Most customers only visit once, so customers will put up with it no matter how bad the food is.
Only in times like this would you want the fierce customer harassers to go on a rampage.
The same goes for souvenirs.
They say, "There is no such thing as a good souvenir," and it is true.
The products are covered in dust, and it is hard to tell when they were made.
I bought some sweets that were claimed to be local specialties and gave them to my acquaintances, but the person giving them to me could not guarantee that they were tasty, and the person receiving them knew that.
It is nothing more than a ritual, and there is no joy on either side.
It is not limited to stores in front of temples and shrines.
Stores lining the streets of Kyoto and other famous tourist spots are no different.
All stores offer similar products, so there is no difference even if there are many of them.
I will never eat at restaurants in famous gate towns or tourist attractions again.
I don't buy souvenirs either.
I am always looking for a good place to eat and buy souvenirs a little further away.