Yugawara is a small onsen town in south-central Japan known for its beautiful hot springs and numerous traditional ryokans. Its easy distance to Tokyo makes it a popular weekend getaway for city dwellers wanting to get away from the fast pace of one of the world’s biggest cities, and it’s not hard to see the appeal.
The area is known for Makuyama Park which has thousands and thousands of plum tress which blossom in the spring, but sadly they wont be on display at the moment in October. We should normally be able to expect a bit of autumn colour, but the 2024 summer has been particularly long and very very hot, so the leaves aren’t really turning on time this year.
Our accom for the night is at Ashikari Ryokan – https://www.ashikari.com/top.html – which I booked for their beautiful family room which has a fabulous open air bath. This ryokan is on booking dot com and can be booked there, if the Japanese website is a struggle – I have gotten use to their websites now, but I know they can be complicated when first faces with them. Like most ryokans, the room booking comes with half board, so we get to have a kaiseki dinner tonight, and Japanese breakfast tomorrow.
The reception set the tone for our stay – and looked very warm and welcoming.
I completely forgot that it was Halloween, and the Japanese love to adopt traditions from other cultures – Christmas is pretty big here, even though hardly any of the population identifies as Christian.
The slippers were hilarious – mine were fine, but Yale is a size 15 wide, and barely fit the balls of his feet into these things!
From watching YouTube videos, I know that the landlady (usually the wife or daughter of the owner of the ryokan) will have been trained in traditional flower arranging and that any flowers seen on display in ryokans in public areas or in rooms will have been very carefully chosen and arranged with Japanese flower arranging traditions in mind… this involves the thoughtful choice of flowers in accordance with the season, flower meanings, aesthetic design, and lighting design – the fall of the shadows from the arrangement is as much a part of the art as the as well as the flower placement themselves.
A bowl of candy was out for trick or treaters I guess… though we are in a quite remote little part of the town, so I don’t imagine there will be many children coming past.
The lobby had a number of small couch spaces that faced a gorgeous large picture window that overlooks a well cultivated Japanese garden. It’s a beautiful serene space and I imagine if you just arrived here from the JR station from Tokyo, just the sight of the calm garden would immediately start to lower the blood pressure.
Tea and coffee and refreshments are available for guests in the lobby at any time through our stay.
After we checked in, we were led down a stone stairway into the garden. Our room was in a separate villa to the main building, and we were surrounded by greenery.
Hatsuse Room… I think it was called. It was immediately noticeable that this is not a mobility friendly room option, but with my new knee, I’ve been practicing going up and down the stairs – so hopefully it will be okay. Geta to wear around the garden or for on our way back up to the restaurant etc.
WOW! Such a beautiful relaxing space full of timber and traditional Japanese design elements. I could feel myself relaxing as soon as we walked into this room. I love it!
The beds were on a wooden floor area, but we also had a traditional tatami mat space with a ‘chabudai’ (low Japanese table). Super cute! So gorgeous! Squeeee…! I’m so excited to be here.
A little ‘yokan’ welcome snack (red bean jelly candy).
The room was well equiped with tea and coffee makings, glasses for beer, saké, wine, whatever you might have brought with you – it’s quite common for people to bring their favourite things with them when they come to stay at ryokan. A stop at the konbini is pretty much expected.
Selection of teas, a range of coffees, a fridge full of complimentary beer, juices, and spring water.
We were also provided with yukata (lightweight kimono style robes), samue (light Japanese pyjamas), and hanten (overcoats), to wear to and from the public onsens and to the restaurant, or for lounging around the room. Plus slippers, obi belts, tabi socks and a basket for taking your things to the onsen.
The bathroom and showering space is very well appointed and super modern. Everything you could possibly need. They provide so many amenities in the ryokan, it makes me wonder if Japanese travellers don’t travel with their own toiletries, and rely on using what the hotel will provide.
All the lotions and potions you could possible want – plus some sheet face masks, fluffy bathrobes, soft soft Japanese cotton towels, and a wee bag full of onsen towels.
The hairdryer spotting begins! Japanese travellers seem to have strange obsessions with their hairdryers – I am determined to get to the bottom of it this trip, but if you ever seen a Japan travel video done by a Japanese creator that doesn’t tell you what type of hairdryer is available… I’d be pretty sure theyr’e not Japanese! Hairdryer = super important hotel information!
And the star of any room tour – the private bath on the balcony! Oh, so good!
I have no patience whatsoever, after taking some photos of the room, it’s straight into the shower for me to get clean, so I can have a soak and a little Hakkaisan saké in the onsen. The water here was beautiful and soft… I felt the tension leaving my body within minutes!
Berfore too long it was time for dinner… first things first, choosing a local saké to have with our meal.
Matsu Midori Daiginjo (Nakazawa Sake Bazu Ashigami-gun) – this is a locally produced daiginjo often used also as a ceremonial toast of the Tokyo Summit. It was flavourful and kinda fruity, a little crisp without being dry. Very nice!
Appetisers considered of: Kurokawa Nanjing egg tofu; Marinated mackerel sushi, Maitake and Matsutake mushrooms dressed with chrysanthemum flowers; Mini radish and bonito crust, sweet shrimp marinated in koji; Squid with pine ball shell and grille bonito in warm saikyo sauce.
Sashimi course: Hokkaido scallop, sweet shrimp, mackerel served with various garnishes.
Yonezawa Pork ichiban shabu-shabu, served with burdock, fried tofu, chrysanthemum, ponzu sauce and yuzu pepper.
Spanish mackerel Naruto roll; Clam wrap grilled served with vinegared mayoga.
Tsumari soba with nori seaweed, grilled eel and condiments.
Five coloured tempura Sagami beef, served with Matsutake mushroom, asparagus, potato and yellow soy sauce.
Rice, red miso soup wit eggplant and ostrich (?), served with assorted pickles.
Dessert: Melon mochi, match jelly cake, and fresh grapes.
What an amazing meal! Gochisousama deshita! Compliments to the Head Chef, Yasuo Suzuki.
Decided to talk a short walk around the ryokan after dinner to let our lovely meal settle before heading back to the room. So I had a look at the public onsens available here. This ryokan is not particularly tattoo friendly – when I enquired, they said to please cover or to try and use the baths very early or very late and not when busy. That is basically, I know and they know that tattooed people can make other guests uncomfortable, so please be mindful and try to bathe when no one else is in the space. It’s always advisable to ask, especially in the women’s onsen where you will often find yourself bathing with small children as well.
There were large, clean and well laid out locker spaces, dressing tables and showering areas.
I love the lighting design in this ryokan, you can tell someone has put an inordinate amount of thought into how the shadows will play in a space.
The baths themselves were not very large – likely because many of the rooms here have a private bath available to them, and the ryokan is small and intimate with only 18 rooms in total.
I popped back in the following morning – the view in this space is even prettier during the daylight.
I was in and out of the onsen at least twice more before turning in for the night! This is my idea of the most relaxing type of holiday stay. Screw beaches.
The following morning the clouds seems to have largely disappeared, and the bath was super inviting.
Sunrise, sunrise. Looks like morning in your eyes!
Breakfast time. After the meticulous service of course after course of a kaiseki dinner the night before, breakfast feels like a casual affair. All dishes will be brought out at the same time and you can pick and choose what you wish to eat first.
Tamago; Yuba melon and orange slices; Tuna sashimi; Chicken dumpling in a light dashi soup; Salmon pickles, yuba and wasabi for the rice.
Miso cod! So buttery and delicious. Served with pickled leek.
What an amazing stay! We managed to make use of the bath at least two more times before it was time to check out. I didn’t want to leave at all… I could have stayed for two or three nights quite happily.
Kitanokaze Saryou is an adults only ryokan in Hakone… but ‘adults only’ they mostly mean they don’t particularly cater for young children, but we saw one couple here with an infant, so I don’t think it’s a hard and fast policy or anything. From the outside, the ryokan looks really unassuming.
This is an intimate luxury ryokan with only 10 guest rooms nestled in amongst the Hakone Botanical Gardens. There are no communal onsen baths here, as every guest room has a private bath – so it’s totally tattoo friendly in your room. Even though there are only 10 guest rooms, the public spaces like the reception and the lobby are quite spacious and beautifully appointed.
At first I thought this artwork was a painting, but on closer inspection I discovered it was an embroidery! very impressive.
The lounge in the lobby overlooks a meticulous cultivated Japanese garden. One day I’ll do some research into what the different elements of gardening are here, so I can more fully appreciate the layout of these spaces.
Our room was called Shion on the second floor, called a ‘Sky Terrace Room’ with an open-air bath.
I loved the slipper arrangement – his and hers for in the ryokan and in the room.
We found some welcome treats in the room to greet us – some crispy tomato and cheese bamboo crackers and some sesame mochi, which I found out later was made in house. I’m not one for sweets
This room didn’t have the same traditional Japanese design elements to it – no cypress panels, no paper screens, but it did have a lovely fresh and modern decor, with carpets rather than tatami.
Yukata, samue, and hanten coats were all provided for our use, along with obi belts, tabi socks and bags for your onsen towels (even though there were no public onsens to take your towels to??).
The room was quite large – with a desk space, two armchairs, as well as the bedroom space and a huge balcony.
Tea and coffee, kettle, a selection of teas and different coffees and the fridge had some complimentary beer and cold green tea drinks.
We spent quite a bit of time using these comfy armchairs, and the balcony had heaps of space – it if was warmer, you might have spent time on the day bed outside, but not so much for us.
We were welcomed with a yuzu tea, and some sakura wagashi sweets.
The bathroom was a goodly size and extremely well appointed – again with the more amenities than you can poke a stick at! We were never going to use a fraction of the toiletries and things they provide: razors, shower caps, cotton buds, dental kits, you name it, it’s here.
Bathroom has a large indoor bath that fills with onsen water also – I assume so you can use it if it’s raining or snowing perhaps, and you don’t want to use the open air bath? Looks like a good space to commit a gruesome murder. Needless to say, we didn’t use this space at all.
The huge balcony with outdoor shower and the open-air bath! Complete with peep hole through to the treetops of a thick bamboo forest.
Is it bad that I just want to run over and throw myself in the bath saying, ‘Mine! It’s all mine!’ Seriously, as a chronic pain sufferer, if there is any place in the world I would rather be than a fancy ryokan with a private bath soaking my stupid painful body; I can’t think of it.
A cheeky little Hakutsuru junmai saké acquired from the local Family Mart. This was one of our favourite little saké breweries that we visited south of Osaka in 2019… and their little ¥400 reliably drinkable saké is available everywhere.
Dinner time…
Nice start to our meal, a plum wine cocktail – made with Ume plum wine, soda and frozen Nashi pear purée… delcious!
Japanese savoury egg custard soup, with Matustake mushrooms, shrimp, pike conger eels, ginko nut, Mistuba, Sudachi – combined with a dashi broth. Full of umami goodness.
Appetisers from left: Country pate made with Okhotsk port bacon; Cream cheese mousse with smoked kelp and roe; Bonito with flavoured vegetables; Jelly of sea bream; Steam abalone with foie gras pate; Japanese style salmon terrine.
Japanese kelp soup based with thin Izu thickened broth, snow crab, grilled shiitake mushrooms, Kujyo leeks and shredded yuzu.
Sashimi of shrimp, tuna, greenling, whelk, Atka mackerel and Maitake mushrooms and chrysanthemum leaves – served with home made soy sauce and home made grape wine vinegar and hop salt.
Smoked duck with balsamic – served under a bell of smoke… I took a video of the bell coming off, but it can wait until later.
Grilled beef with yuzu miso, served with a red wine and cassis sauce Kadayif. Abalone mushrooms , maple leaf shaped carrots, sweet potato, watercress and yuzu miso. This must have been one of the most delcious things I have ever had in my entire life! The flavours were incredible.
Simmered turnip with chrysanthemum flower paste, steamed and simmered sword fish, Momiji-fu and green beans.
Koji miso sou, Nameko mushrooms, Tofu and Mitsuba.
Kettle cooked rice: Seiten no Hekireki; famous rice provided from Aomori prefecture, a region known for it’s rice purity laws.
Served with pickled vegetables: Wasabi kelp, Enoki mushrooms marinated in Chinese style sauce, Nagaimo marinated with washable and sake lees, Winter melon pickled in tamari soy sauce, Chinese cabbage picketed with salted kelp and bonito flakes.
Homemake Japanese plum (Ume) ice cream; Mont Blanc pudding, Fig cheese tart, Grape Daihuku.
What an amazing dinner! We had a short wander around the ryokan after dinner, but with there being no public bathing areas, the communal spaces are more limited than normal. I do love the gardens here, they are very established and very beautiful – I guess that is one of the benefits of being in the Botanical Gardens.
In the morning, we were delivered a newspaper – neither of us could read it, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
Up early for blue skies, green bamboo swaying in a light breeze, and more dips in the onsen.
This bath is just about perfect – good size for two people, three if you’re close friends Has the ability to add cooled spring water if you are finding it too hot, and loads of space. Many private open air baths on balconies are small and in slatted rooms for privacy, but this is luxurious.
We chose a later breakfast time this morning so we could enjoy the room.
And this time we were guided to a different private dining room with a large picture window leading your view out into the gardens over breakfast.
I feel like there should be more moss growing on things around my house… but we live in the wrong climate for that!
Breakfast consisted of many of the usual things – Tamago, grilled salmon, stewed tofu, yuba, salted squid, picked vegetables and rice… and some dreaded Natto (fermented soy beans – yuk!).
Grilled salmon, Tamago, tuna sashimi.
Mystery soup!
Stewed tofu in an onion and mushroom broth.
I don’t need dessert at breakfast – but thankfully Yale never knocks back extra food.
Had another short wander around the ryokan in the daylight. It’s a beautiful modern complex, I’d stay here again.
Another bath… with some green tea. Afterwards, a quick skip through the gift shop – most ryokans have a small gift shop where you an pick up local delicacies that might have been on your plate, or craftswares that have been made by local artisans, gifts to take back to your co-workers and that sort of thing. We considered picking up a beep set, but sadly, we have no refrigeration.
Small waiting room near the reception – I’m not sure what this room would be used for, perhaps for very special guests who desire privacy when they are checking in. Unsure.
Whenever I try to take photos of the front of the ryokan, one of the staff will inevitably ask if I want my photo taken. I don’t usually want heaps of pictures of me from my travels – I know I was there, that’s enough for me – but it feels rude not to accept the offer!
Short drive today to Nuremberg. Uneventful for the most part, though we were mightily amused by this road sign telling drivers to slow down to 120 kmph for roadworks… for serious, it was needed though. We were in a 130 zone on the autobahn and doing roughly the speed limit with people whizzing past us like we were standing still. I don’t know how there aren’t more accidents here… but I bet when they do connect it’s horrific.
Given Europe’s typical Mondayitis, there were quite a few places that were not open today, but thankfully the well famous Nuremberg Castle wasn’t closed. Also known as the Nürnberger Burg, the castle is actually a large complex of medieval fortified buildings built on a ridge that overlooks the historical Altstadt of Nuremberg. Well located in Bavaria, the castle and its formidable city walls are considered one of Europe’s most impregnable fortified castles. The whole place was designed to represent the power and influence on the Holy Roman Empire and the distinctive role the Imperial City of Nuremberg held.
The main entrance (above) isn’t that much to look at, but as soon as you make your way into the castle walls, the extent and size of the fortress becomes apparent.
The construction of the castle was originally started around 1000, and after that there were three main periods of expansion that can be seen. 1) the main castle built under the Salian kings and respective Holy Roman Emperors front he period of about 1027-1125, 2) a newer castle section that was built under the Hohenstaufen Emperors from 1138-1254 and the reconstructed areas of the castle that became more palace in the later medieval period.
In the Middle Ages, the city of Nuremberg was one of the larges and organised municipalities in all of Europe, and was at various periods the Imperial Capital.
I could not get over the sky today – the clouds just looked absolutely surreal, and the sky so blue, I thought we were in the tropics.
The stunning panorama from the ramparts of the castle looking over the medieval city of Nuremberg.
Inner courtyard of the main keep… the buildings are so beautiful and we were fortunately not swamped with people when we arrived that I went a little nuts with the photos…
The building on the left here has been converted into a super modern cafe, but thankfully on the outside, it is still in keeping with its medieval location.
Even the museum entrance/exit and gift shop are well hidden.
Views over the city through old glass windows.
Doorway from the palace hall to the private imperial chapel.
A strongbox… sadly without a description plaque.
The private imperial chapel – there is a large hole in the floor, and another hall below where commoners could come to hear services without interacting with the castle’s more elevated inhabitants! This double chapel saw daily masses since 1216. The Emperor’s, (top part of the) chapel was likely only used when the emperor/king was in residence and was only accessible through the upper hallways of the ruler’s chambers.
Stone relics ‘The Resurrection of Christ’ and ‘The Ascension of Mary’, Augsburg, c.1530.
The side altar of the Emperor Frederick III. Figures from the shrine are (left to right) Charlamagne, St Henry, St Kunigunde, St Helena of Nuremberg, c.1487/.
Figures below are wings from a larger, now lost, altarpiece, c.1401.
Mother of God, Nuremberg, c.1450-1460… this is one of a small collection of Nuremberg Madonna’s that are characterised by being life-sized and close to resembling natural people.
These frescos are believed to have been installed prior to a visit from Charles V, King of Spain who was crowned King in 1520 and referred to himself as the ‘Chosen Roman Emperor’. Frescoes attributed to Hans Weiditz, Augsburg, c.1519.
Looking down from the Emperor’s Chapel at the multi-layered chapel for the masses.
Relief of Emperor Ludwig IV the Bavarian, from the Nuremberg Town Hall, c.1340, cast after a model in Munich… sigh. Hate this shit : a lot of the info I’m saving is acquired by translating stuff after we leave a place. I’m looking at these things in situ and thinking, that doesn’t look right, get some time later and translate any info only to find out that we are looking at a late 18thC plaster replicas or something. :/
Same with this one… Monumental statue of Emperor Charles IV from the Old Town Bridge Tower of Prague’s Charles Bridge, Peter Parker, c.1370-1400. Original in sandstone, cast (below) in plaster.
Magnificne manuscript of the Golden Bull, Prague, 1400, leather, pen and parchment… reads the first half of the description. There’s a running them here; it’s a facsimile the original is in Vienna, in the Austrian National Library. The codex of constitution documents were commissioned by King Wenceslas c.1378-1400 and oh who gives a shit, this is a copy as well executed as some of my more proficient SCA calligrapher friends could make.
Humpback cup, Ellington & Co, Birmingham, c.1886. Copper brass, gilding… another fucking copy – is nothing in this museum original? The original 16thC cup is somewhere else and it doesn’t even tell us. The cup and other objects were part of the ceremonial table dictated for use in the Golden Bull.
Holy Lance: Replica! Holy Hand Grenade: Replica! Holy Dagger thing: Replica! The original objects symbolised the military strength of the head of the empire of Otto I (936-973).
The room had these neat – but obviously modern – reliefs that depicted the famous and important houses of Nuremberg. For some reason these didn’t bother me so much, as they weren’t accompanied by an info plaque and obviously weren’t pretending to be medieval artefacts. *shrug*
Coronation of Ludwig IV the Bavarian, in Milan as King of Italy on May 31, 1327, work attributed to Agostino Di Giovanni (c. 1310-1370)… or at least the original marble one was. This is a plaster case made in Munich.
Oh thank fuck!!! I really enjoyed looking at this glass tankard, and was just now sitting here thinking, it was probably painted by some dude named Hans last week!
Imperial Eagle Tankard, 17thC glass, enamel painted, Nuremberg. The double headed eagle was often the motif of imperial allegories and represented the structure and significant of the empire. The quaternion eagle has the individual coats of arms on its wings of the various imperial estates.
So, for the sake of representation there were some large information plaques which detailed these very famous objects associated with the Crown Treasury of Nuremberg and the Holy Roman Empire. The crown, dalmatic, and under tunic in particular are objects I am hoping to see at the Kunsthistoriches… but they’ve obviously been included here for education’s sake – and I’m really beginning to think this is a very well laid out place for school kids to come learn Stuff (which shouldn’t detract from my enjoyment of the displays – but it fucking does!).
The following Palace rooms were the private chambers of the emperor/s in the upper floors of the castle; they’ve been set up post WWII to give an impression of homeliness with some furniture, portraits… Baroque Chest, Tyrols, c.17thC.
Wappendecke: Coat of arms cover, Fritz Haeberlein, Nuremberg, c.1947…?
Prunkofen: a magnificent Stove, Nuremberg, c.1675. Timber exterior and tiled interior.
Four keys from the lock of the Imperial Regalia, c.16th/17thC. In 1423, Emperor Sigmund entrusted the City of Nuremberg with the safekeeping of the Imperial Regalia. The relics were kept safely locked in a shrine, in the church of the Holy Spirit Hospital, which was under the city council jurisdiction. Access to the chapel vault was secured by multiple persons holding different keys.
The views out to the courtyard… while walking through these rooms today, I was wondering what it must have been like for the high born womenfolk who inhabited these walls. Now, I reckon these windows were probably installed after WWII and no medieval women looked out these windows.
Armbrut: Cross bow, Nurember, c.16thC,. Bow: steel. String: hemp. Column: wood, black horn and white etched horn inlay.
LEFT: Bolt case, some labeled with the name of the Nurember patrician family, “Volckamer”, c.1595. Wood, fittings of iron, partly tinned, handle of brass. RIGHT: German crossbow crankequin. Heavy craniquins like this one were indispensable for drawing the bow-string on a robust steeel bow.
Drinking vessel in the shape of a richly ornamented cannon. When the cover is opened, it becomes apparent it is for dining. Citizen’s Artillery of Nuremberg, c.15thC.
Maximilian style armour. “The suit of plate armor is a complex artistic and technological masterpiece. In development since around 1300, full body armor made up of many different parts had reached its highest level of complexity by 1500. In principle, the individual parts had to be adapted to the individual wearer if the armor was to be fully functional. Not everyone could afford such tailor-made armor, however. Many fighters put together their protective equipment from parts that were already available. In order to increase mobility, individual parts of the armor could be left out at any time. A suit of plate armor is a complex artistic and technological masterpiece. It was developed from ca. 1300 on and reached its highest complexity around 1500. Generally, each part had to be fitted to the individual wearer, if the armour was to function properly. However, not every fighting man could afford customised armour. Protection often had to be improvised and adapted from available parts. In order to increase mobility, parts would be left off.” Sounds familiar…
Two breastplates of late Gothic Armour; from the town hall in Spittal, Carinthia, Austria. C.1450-1500. Iron, forged, steeled, filed, and originally polished.
Late Gothic armoured gloves. Germany, iron, forged, steeled, ground, polished, leather later addition, c.1450.
Two backplates of Late Gothic armour from the town hall in Spittal, Carinthia, Austria. C.1450-1500. Iron – forged, steeled, filed and originally polished.
Helms: 1) Bascine, 14thC. 2) Bascinet, German, late 14thC. 3) Kettle hat or Chapel-de fer, Tirol c1400. 4) Jousing helm, Tyrol, late 15thC. 5) Sallet, Frankie, c.1450/60. 6) Italian bascinet, Northern Italian late 15thC.
Gothic suit of equestrian armour – almost complete condition which is extremely rare apparently. Nuremberg armoury, the fancy shoe tips made it unsuitable for combat. It could have Ben worn only be a rider. The help is not original to this suit.
Nuremberg, c.1470/80. Iron – steeled, ground and originally polished to a high sheen.
Iron-clad door with iron fittings. . Dates from the reign on fate Bohemian and German Kings Charles IV or his son Wenceslas. 2nd half 14thC.
There was a very small section that dealt with the history of Nuremberg after the period of theHoly Roman Empire and glossed over WWII fairly quickly.
Ok… the Castle was very cool and I really enjoyed seeing the buildings a the layout of the fortress complex… but fuck me, I was so dirty when I discovered how many of the artefacts were just bloody modern replicas. I know it shouldn’t detract from the enjoyment of seeing these things in this context, but it fucking does! I walked up (and back down – which is sometimes even more painful) four storeys of stairs with a severely torn meniscus to see stupid copies of things? My heart rate was up around 150bpm the whole time, and I was overheating due to the excessive pain from my knee joint (and an involuntary habit of holding my breath inappropriately while in pain) and for what? To see shit that I would have been better off looking up high res images of the originals, online? It was so deflating.
Encountered this amazing vending machine in a shopping centre car park of all places – full of cheese and charcuterie! And here’s me thinking Japan has the best vending machines.
After the castle, we made our way to Haupmarkt to see the famous Schöner Brunnen fountain, a 14thC Gothic fountain locate next to Nuremberg’s main markets and the town hall. It is 19m high and in the shape of a church spire. It was built by Heinrich Beheim in 1385.
The Frauenkirche is not far away and is the Roman Catholic parish church of Nuremberg. It was built at the commission of Emperor Charles VI from 1352-1362 as a hall church. It is full of sculptures, many of them have been preserved from around the time of construction, so they are c.1360 also. There wasn’t a lot of information available in the church, an it was smaller than I expected.
The facade of the Frauenkirche has as clock called the ‘Männleinlaufen’ (Little Men Running) which is activated at noon, and has seven little men – representing electors of Nuremberg – that move with chimes. It was built/ordered by Charles IV in 1356 to commemorate the Nuremberg code of Laws, the Golden Bull. The clock was removed during WWII and stored in a Nuremberg Art Bunker.
The inner vestibule was full of brightly painted relief art work – I imagine this is what a lot of the old cathedrals looked like but haven’t been restored over the centuries.
The Tucher Alter c.1440/50 came from a demolished Augustinian Church – the Frauenkirche was used as a Protestant church for several centuries and much of the art and sculpture came back into he church when it was redesignated? reconsecrated? by the Catholic Church.
There has been an organ in this church since 1492, however this one is from the 1950s.
I got nothing on this sculpture, other than that Baby Jee looks stoned.
Pergenstorfer Epitaph.
Stopped by a bookshop, having decided to acquire a couple of well known books to try to read in German. I figure this immersion stuff has to help at some point. It’s sure not helping here; every time I try to speak with people in German they can tell I’m not a native speaker immediately and they switch to English. How are you supposed to get any better if people won’t talk to you? :/
St Seibald’s Church apparently began with a grave in 1070, and not long afterwards reports of healing miracles occurring at his grave are documented.
The Chruch that is here today was built in the first half of the 13thC as a late Romanesque pillared basilica with a double choir. It was around this time that Nuremberg was becoming an important centre of commerce in Central Europe. In the early 1300s the side aisles were expanded, and the high Gothic choir loft was added between 1361 and 1379. Seibald became the patron saint of aspiring commercial ventures, even though he was apparently not canonised until 1425.
Master of the Tucher Altar, c.1440 and Elizabeth Starch Epitath, c.1450.
’Schüsslesfeider’, Saint Christoper, c.1442.
Most of the partially preserved stained glass in this church was donated by the families of City Council members of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg, in the 14thC. Some was replaced c.1500, and the ‘newest’ glass in the cathedral was installed in 1601.
Madonna on the Crescent Moon, c.1437.
Glass: Behaim Window with the Annunciation and the Nativity, c.1330.
Altar of Saint Peter, c.1477.
Memborial for the Schroeder-Landaeur families, c.1490-92.
Peter Vischer and Sons tomb of St Seibald, c.1508-1519.
The organ was a late addition – we were just discussing how it wasn’t up in a specific organ loft like we had seen in many cathedrals, and actually looked to be a free-standing object. Then we discovered it was only added to the church in 1975.
St Catherine – originally on the Exterior of the Last Judgement Portal c.1310.
And of course the bit I’m always curious about – during WWII, between 1943 and 1945, the church was repeatedly hit by bombs and severely damaged (hence the partially preserved stained glass). As late as April 20, 1945, both towers were bombarded until fires broke out and melted the medieval bells. The first phase of reconstruction lasted 12 years and ended in 1957. There are still repair and removal of war damage happening today.
Anna Oelhafen Epitaph, c.1528.
Having a very sparse breakfast, and having skipped lunch, we gave up on our churching and went hunting for some dinner. Angus found this place which is a local Franconian ‘field to table’ restaurant – the beers, wine, water, juice tea are all sourced from Franconia; vegetables are all grown locally in Knoblauchsland, fishes are sauced from Heinl an Erlangen fishmonger, sausages come from the Nuremberg butcher, and game is delivered by someone named Waffler from his local hunting ground. It made me think of the 40 Happy Cows that Le Cinq have on a farm some 20kms out of Paris just to make butter for the restaurant!
Angus opted for the bratwurst platter which came with rye bread and the most sour of sauerkraut you’ve ever tried in your life, and I opted for a pork shoulder because it seems I have a habit of panic ordering when I’m not speaking English! It was a sizeable and somewhat fatty portion that came with potato dumplings (which Angus enjoyed), and red cabbage – not sour.
After we finished our meal, we stopped in a grocery store for some toothpaste (weirdly, we both thought the other would have a decent sized tube and neither of us did!) and I saw these – these lemon wafer biscuits are, without a doubt, one of my FAVOURITE European snacks that I can’t get back home… it took all my ‘keine zucker’ willpower to not buy them, especially as they were selling them in packs of 5 for like €2.39. Insta-regret kicked in as soon as we got back! LOLi
Our next stop in Nuremberg was to ferret out Albrect Drurers house – which you wouldn’t think would be that difficult to find, but it’s easy to get turned around in the windy little medieval streets.
This is a cool house, but not Drurer’s house.
Finally found it – Albrect Dürer (1471-1528), is Germany’s most famous painter lived in this house now turned musuem.
St Jerome in his Study, Albrect Durer, c.1521
Paumgartner Altar, c.1498.
Portrait of Oswolt Krel, c. 1499.
Adoration of the Magi, c.1517. The covered chalices and chains demonstrate Durer’s background as a goldsmith.
The Four Apostles, Guardians of Justice, c.1526. Guardians of Justice.
Maria with the Pear Slice, c.1512.
Self Portrait with Eryngium, c.1493
Self Portrait, c. 1498.
Dürer originally trained as a goldsmith and in 1487, ended his goldsmith’s apprenticeship with his father in order to start anew as an apprentice at the workshop of the famous painter Michael Wolgemut. Additionally, he specialised in a completely new profession: that of book illustrator and free graphic artist. Before too long his talents attracted rich and highly educated customers. In 1496, he met the man who would become his most important patron, Elector Frederick of Saxony.
Dürer’s House is a typical Nuremberg Fachwerkhaus, where he lived from 1509 to 1528. It is in Nuremberg’s Altstadt near the Kaiserburg section of the Nuremberg Castle and the Tiergätnertor. It is the only artist’s house turned museum of its kind… apparently?
Living rooms and study spaces are furnished with period furniture. Dürer’s family life was rather out of the ordinary: in 1494, he married Agnes Frey, at the behest of both his father and hers. While Dürer’s mother had been pregnant eighteen times, his own marriage remained childless.
I love these windows… why don’t we make windows like this anymore?
A small cupboard and a hand washing space.
Wall clock… no information on these. But plenty of small plaques asking visitors to not touch things!
The downstairs kitchen is designed in such a way as the heat rises to warm the upper floors.
The upper floors contain a recreation of the artists workshop spaces.
An engraving plate and a glass sphere that could be used as a magnifier.
Printing systems.
Was very cool hour or so checking out Dürer’s house… even knowing most of the art works are replicas didn’t detract from how cool it is to be walking through this living museum space with its smoky hallway and centuries old furniture. The rest of the day was spent working before we moved on!
Herta Heuwer is attributed with the invention of Currywurst when she obtained some ketchup, Worcestshire and curry powder from British soldiers just after WWII… it’s a staple on menus all over Berlin, so I found a recipe in German cookbook and translated it. Yale and I might have to try this out when I get home:
A spicy Currywurst Sauce that can be used for all types of dishes
2 large red or yellow onions chopped very finely 2 × 400 gm can of tomatoes with juice 250 ml ketchup 1 tablespoon mustard 2 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon paprika powder 2 tablespoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon chili powder salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon oil
Warm oil over medium heat Add the onions to pan and cook over medium heat until soft, 8 to 10 minutes Add curry powder, paprika powder, chili powder and continue to cook while stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes Add tomatoes and juice to pan, crush thoroughly and stir through Stirring add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste Bring to boil and lower to simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened. 20-25 minutes. Puree mixture in blender and strain through a sieve. The recipe makes at least 500 ml of sauce. Grill some sausages, slice and cover with warm sauce. Add to the sauce covered sausage you can add some additional Paprika powder, Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Curry Powder, Mustard, or finely chopped onion, to taste.
Serve with Fritten, or on a bun*
Guten Appetit!
* Quite a lot of places seem to serve their Currywurst with Asian fried shallots on top – Icelandic hotdog style!
Berlin! Some pics grabbed while out and about in Berlin – we stayed right near Alexanderplatz (at the Park Inn by Raddison), so were in and out of the square quite a bit.
Doesn’t matter what time of day it is, there is no way you can get photos around here without people in them. I tried.
The famous world clock – I really like this thing. Angus didn’t care for it much at all.
East Side Gallery – some of the artworks haven’t changed which is kinda cool. Especially nice to see the political images not being grafitti’d. When I was here last, I remember writing my name near He-Man’s loincloth, but that image seems to be gone now.
This image I remember quite well. It seems to have gotten larger and been touched up, but the style of it is memorable.
The Siegessäule Monument… or Victory Column is one of the most important national monuments in Germany and considered a ‘must see’ in Berlin (apparently… didn’t see it last time I was here as we came to the Palace via subway!). It was built in 1864 on the Konisplaz to commemoration the wars of Unification. It was moved to its current location in 1938 to be near monuments dedicated to Bismarck, Moltke and Roon – because it sounds like glorifying those sorts of people was what Nazis were into! The Victory at the top of the Column is also known as ‘The Golden Else’… not sure if Else is supposed to be a name or the English meaning of ‘else’. It’s a mystery.
On our way out of Berlin, we had an hour or so to visit Charlottenburg Palace… I have been here before, and wrote quite a bit about that visit and the history of the place. So I’m not going into that all over again, but there was an entire section of the palace that was closed last time that we managed to go into, so here’s a massive photo dump:
Started out as a nice day. Didn’t stay that way.
Mecklenberg Apartment rooms:
The Old Gallery:
Sophie’s Mirror Chamber:
I can’t believe I took this exact same picture (on the right) of the Pegasus in the ceiling without even meaning to…
Audience chambers:
The one original ceiling that survived WWII:
I also took this exact same photo on the left last time too!
And of course a bunch of pics of the Porcelain Cabinet which is still as much of an assault on the senses as it was last visit.
The Royal Chapel:
Last visit in 2018, we only managed to see the portion of the Palace as above. Today, we were able to go upstairs and see many more galleries and rooms.
Three portraits of imaginary and actual ancestress of the Hohenzollernss:
Funeral Helm (Death Helmet) of the Great Elector, Later called the “Helm of the Empire”. Unknown armourer, Berlin 1688. Copper, hammered, fire gilt.
Medallions showing portraits of Duke Albert of Prussia and his consort, Anna Maria of Brunswick. Jakob Binck, c.1555, silver, partially gilt.
Anna of Prussia, Electress of Brandenburg. Daniel Rose, c.1610. Oil on canvas.
Elector John Sigismund in Electorial Vestements. Unknown artist, c.1612, oil on canvas.
Elector Albrect Achilles, art of the Altar of the Order of the Swan, c.1484. Unknown artist. Oil on canvas.
LEFT: Crown of the Queen, unknown goldsmith, Berlin, c.1700. Gold, hammered, chased and enamel. CENTRE: Imperial Seal, Samuel Stall, c.1700. Iron, silver and gilt. RIGHT: Imperial Orb, Unknown goldsmith, Berlin, c.1700. Gold, enameled, diamonds, rubies, garnets.
Crown wooden storage box, c.1700. Timber and painted.
Brandenburg Electoral Sword. Simone do Giovanni Ghini, c.1469, reworked in 1539. Silver, engraved, gilt, enamel; partly steel, partially gilted.
Then, there was examples of the nearly 8 tonnes of silverware that Frederick I accumulated in the 1730s. So much of it and so little description of any of it. Mostly elaborate food service objects and table centrepieces – while wandering through all these cabinets of silverware, all I could think about is the poor schmucks whose jobs it would have been to, 1) keep track of it all to make sure none of it went wandering, 2) manage the team of underlings who were no doubt responsible for polishing it so it didn’t tarnish and 3) deciding which pieces were going to be used on the table each time the family sat for a meal! It’s bad enough deciding what to cook for dinner let alone laying an elaborate table every bloody meal.
So much shiny silverware! And yet, this represents only a fraction of what there was at one point – Frederick the Great and his predecessors used their fantastical table settings as a disturbingly opulent display of wealth and of course power. But they also kinda treated it like portable wealth – and twice melted down most of the royal silver to fund wars: The Second Silesian War (1744-1745) and the the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). Each time the wars went and peace returned, he would commission replacement gold and silver table services!
I think these tall columns decked with angels connected with wreaths were probably centrepieces – and front he look of them, likely used at Christmas time with fresh cut greenery. No information on a lot of these pieces though.
Snuff Boxes collected by Frederick The Great: In the 18thC Frederick II collected richly ornamented snuffboxes with trims of precious gemstones, and made of solid stone, or precious metals. The accounts of the King how he commissioned over 200 snuff boxes, and always kept them close on hand on tables, in boxes or in cabinets at royal palaces. Made variously from red jasper, agate, gold, silver, diamonds, enamel, glass, gauche, watercolour, ivory, and other semi-precious stones and materials.
Centrepiece in the shape of an ornamental beaker, is part of the vast store of silverware presented to Prince Wilhelm and Augusta Victoria (1858-1921) by Prussian towns and provinces on their wedding in 1881. This beaker is far more Renaissance in style than Baroque.
The beautiful view from the upstairs salon down across the gardens.
We did manage to take a short walk around the gardens before the weather rolled in.
And, I promised to take Angus for lunch at Samowar – the Russian restaurant that is right near Charlottenburg Palace which is listed as one of Berlin’s best dining establishments. Though I mostly remember it for its kooky ambiance and their layered Russian honey cake.
My memory of the Russian tea-room ambiance didn’t disappoint!
And neither did the meal. I wasn’t particularly hungry so opted for a creamy mushroom soup for lunch, while Angus had the wild boar sausages served with sauerkraut and pierogi, and of course we had to have an obligatory slice of Russian honey cake – which Angus is now very disappointed about, as it is much better than what we can get at home in Brisbane! *glass shatters forever*
This was one of our favourite little saké breweries that we visited south of Osaka in 2019… and their little ¥400 reliably drinkable saké is available everywhere. 
There’s a running them here; it’s a facsimile the original is in Vienna, in the Austrian National Library. The codex of constitution documents were commissioned by King Wenceslas c.1378-1400 and oh who gives a shit, this is a copy as well executed as some of my more proficient SCA calligrapher friends could make. 
