Kototoi History and Culture course, Toshi Yoroizuka

Got up about 6:45, but had some things to do, so I didn't get out until 8:00. That turned out to be a little late for getting back by 13:00, but was was home for the gas check, so no problem.

Today's course was the Kototoi H&C course, although I also confirmed a correction to the Senju course. There were some corrections to the Kototoi course, too, although mostly in terms of which side of the street to be on. I ended doubling back a couple times, including the doubling back, just because part 2 meets part 3 partway in, so if you want to do both in full in one direction, you have to double back.

The first part is is named the Shitaya 'Related Day' Walk, where a related day is a special day for that particular shrine.  This was fine and fairly short, 1.89 km on my map. The second part is the Sanja Festival/Bokutei Walk, which has a few problems. First, it's definitely a walk, not a run, and it goes into Sensou Temple up the main street, Nakamise Street, which is lined with venders and only for walking. In front of the temple, you turn right and head for Sumida River and go through a park there. However, the area where the path goes through is under construction. It looks like they'll be making a nice new path, but now you have take a detour, and I went a few hundred meters beyond the turn looking for a way through before deciding to go back instead, being able to see through gaps that Sakura (Cherry Tree) Bridge, an X-shaped pedestrian bridge, was open and that people were getting to it from the south along the levee. Even doubling back, I didn't really do the whole part at that time (I picked up the last bit on the main return) because I didn't continue beyond the levee on the east side, whereas the actual end was on the far side of the road running next to the levee. For part 3, which is the Sumida River-Seven Lucky Gods Walk, I had to first double back over Sakura Bridge and down to a different regular bridge, or rather, beyond that where there is a marker telling you where to split from part 2. After crossing the regular bridge, I had to go further than I expected, and found that I was on the wrong side (though not a big problem under the bridge), but then proceeded up the road next to the levee on the wrong side before spotting a marker on the other side and doubling back  2 or 3 hundred meters. There's a small side trip past shrines and parks, mostly this walk goes up the main road, although it's not bad as main roads go: I didn't mind using it coming back, although I used a parallel neighborhood road for about a fourth of that stretch.

On the way back, I first went to Mitsukoshi, which I saw they had actual canelé forms: 1500 yen for stainless steel and 3000 yen for copper. Didn't buy one. The brioche forms they had were 8 cm, whereas I was thinking that mine were 7.5 cm, so I decided not to buy any additional ones

Next, I stopped a Matsuya to remind myself what cake shops they had.

In Ginza, I stopped at Le Chocolat de H and they seemed to have only the café eat-in chocolate tart, not take-out cake. So I tried.

Next, by a not very well-chosen route, I got to Tokyo Midtown (east), and went ti Toshi Yoroizuka and got their "Most popular", which is usually not a good sign. It's not necessarily a bad sign, just I'm only interested in what is most popular among people who come in and buy one piece of cake (which is presumably for themselves). It is the John Pierre (sp?) for 580 yen.

I checked Henri le Roux, and so that their third (besides chocolate and salt caramel) kouign-amann flavor was green tea, whereas I was hoping for lemon. Wasn't mentally prepared for green tea cake, so I decided to give it a pass today. I'm willing to try it another time.

My estimate on my running was 9.8 km of slow and 25 km of very slow. I'll have to review whether I should do any running tomorrow. I've already got a least a little more than last week, so I could rest Sunday and start the next week of running on Monday. Of course, I could still do that if I only run a little on Sunday (and get cake at Isetan, for example).

The John Pierre got a little banged up from running (it's light and I was tired, so I didn't do a good job of keeping it steady), but I was able to reassemble it. It's chocolate mousse with pistachio. The mousse is pretty light and the cake was definitely good, but not exciting or special.

Still, I'm reasonably satisfied. Still, it motivates me to do some baking. I'm interested in bostock (but still haven't looked up a recipe to see whether I am interested enough to try to make it) and financier (ditto), but think I'd like to just back brownies next, although more of my flattish canelé would be nice, too (although a different kind of trouble). I have a lot of eggs, so should/want to make something.