Kansai Diaries, Day 8: Last Day in Kyoto

November 30, 2016

It is my last day in Kyoto and I really don't have any planned route. All I know is that I want to visit Shosei-en Garden next to where I am staying, and the Honganji Temples.

It is not even 7am yet and I am ready to go. Shosei-en Garden is still closed (it opens at 9am) and I decide to head west to Nishi Honganji Temple and drop by the garden on my way back to the guesthouse to pick up my luggage.

Koshoji

興正寺

As I near Nishi Honganji on Horikawa Street, I spot a quiet temple (quiet probably because it is too early) and step through the gate to take a look around. I breathe in the cool quite morning scene. Nothing is astir. After a few clicks of my camera, I leave Koshoji and go next door.

Nishi Honganji

西本願寺

March, April, September, October 530AM to 530PM

May to August 530AM to 6PM

November to February 530AM to 5PM

Nishi Honganji or West Honganji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built in 1591. The first thing I do as I enter Nishi Hongaji's gate is to turn left, where the ground near the bell tower is blanketed in bright yellow ginkgo leaves. Ahh, autumn. How I love autumn. But this morning is cold. Too cold. I go to the rest area near the gate and find something warm to drink from the vending machine. Once my fingers and my stomach thaw, I look inside the two large wooden halls (Goeido Hall is dedicated to the sect's founder; Amidado Hall is dedicated to Amida Buddha), and explore the temple grounds where I find some small buildings, two large ginkgo trees, and an intricately designed gate (Karamon Gate, designated as a national treasure). I mentally check Nishi Honganji off my UNESCO to-visit list.

Nishi Honganji

Inside Nishi Honganji's Goeido Hall

Details on the Karamon Gate

I love autumn!

Higashi Honganji

東本願寺

March to October 550AM to 530PM

November to February 620AM to 430PM

Wondering what's the difference between the two Honganji temples, I visit Higashi Honganji or East Honganji next. I learn Higashi Honganji was built 11 years after Nishi Honganji. Both temples have a Goeido Hall and an Amidado Hall. Higashi Honganji's Goeido Hall is said to be Kyoto's largest wooden structure.

Higashi Honganji's Goeido Hall

The dragons of the east are associated with water,
while western ones are associated with fire


街かど屋 
418 Gojo-dori, Karasuma Higashiirimachuya-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
Open 24 hours daily

My stomach is rumbling. I need breakfast. I command my feet to go in the direction of my guesthouse and, after a few blocks, find myself in a familiar area—it's the street where my friends had rented a kimono the year before! I remember we ate at a fastfood place near a station exit and I go there. Hello, food! (I can't read the name of the restaurant. It looks different. But I am sure this is the same spot.)

Yum, karaage set!

After breakfast, I wander farther along the road and stumble upon a 100-yen shop. I buy some snacks and bitty things before heading back to the guesthouse to drop off my goodies. Shosei-en Garden is still closed: it's not yet 9am. Now where should I go? I decide to visit my favorite area in Kyoto.

Higashiyama

東山

I love Higashiyama District with its old-town feel. I am glad it's still early and there are not too many tourists around. I admire the houses, I check out the shop displays, and I watch the people. I count one, two, seven people in traditional garb. Ahhh, Kyoto! But soon I find myself at the northern limits of the area, and I rack my brain for another destination.

Gion

祇園

Well, why not visit Gion? Yes, I have been to Gion. Twice. First was the year before (I don't think I wrote about it, but we visited quite late at night and didn't see much but old buildings in shadow), second was just two nights ago when I joined a night walking tour. Go a third time? Yes, I reason with myself: this time it'll be in the daytime. And so I go. I visit the places I have been to before. Tea houses are still closed. I don't see any geisha or maiko, but I see a newly wed couple having their photos taken, the bride in a very pretty white kimono and the groom in a hakama and haori.

To-ji

東寺

8AM to 5PM

Admission fee: 500 yen (800 yen during special openings of the pagoda)

Where to next? There is another UNESCO World Heritage Site just southwest of Kyoto Station: Toji Temple. I would have thought by now I'd be up to my ears in temples, but no. I am determined to cross off one more. But this, I promise, will be the last UNESCO site I visit. On this trip.

According to the brochure, when the capital of Japan was transferred from Nara to Kyoto in 794, guardian temples were built on the east (Toji or East Temple) and on the west (the temple on the west no longer exists). Toji Temple was given to the monk Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) in 823. Kukai? Sounds familiar. He established a monastery in Koyasan, the first place I visited on this trip!

Like other temples, Toji also has several halls: Kondo (Main Hall), Kodo (Lecture Hall), Miedo (Residence of Kukai), and a pagoda. Toji is known for its five-storied pagoda, measuring 55m (187 feet)—the tallest pagoda in Japan.

I am glad I decided to go to Toji. There is something about the place that I really like. (I guess it also helps that there are only a few visitors here.)

Nishiki Ichiba

錦市場

I have a few more hours to kill and Nishiki Market comes to mind. I know I am all over the place (remember, I did not plan my route today), but I think it's too early to go back to the guesthouse. I have not been to a Japanese market anyway. In Nishiki Market, I find a variety of edibles on display: fresh vegetables, fresh seafood, pickled stuff, dried stuff, candies, and a growling stomach.

Ichiran

598 Uraderacho Higashiiru Takoyakushidori Nakagyo-ku Kyoto
Open 24 hours daily

I stumble out of Nishiki Market with a growling stomach, and boom, I see Ichiran. The ubiquitous Ichiran—it is scattered all over Japan (and has even found its way to other countries). Lucky me, this Ichiran has no long line of hungry customers (it is already 2pm). So I go in, place my order on the machine, get my ticket, and venture further in to look for a table. Only to find a long line inside. Ugh. No choice but to wait and find out why a lot of people are raving about this ramen. And I do find out. It's because you can choose the strength of the flavor, the noodle texture, etc. If you don't like your ramen, then blame it on yourself.

I walk out of the shop not wowed, but full, and I go back to the guesthouse with a plan to stop by Shosei-en Garden. But by the time I arrive at the garden it is almost closing time and they are not accepting guests anymore. I enjoyed my last day in Kyoto so much that I did not notice the time!


This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.


Japan
Know Before You Go
Single Entry Tourist Visa for Japan
Roam Around Japan with a Swagger
An Ignoramus in Japan: Vending Machines
An Ignoramus in Japan: Bathrooms and Toilets
An Ignoramus in Japan: Manhole Covers
I Spy With My Little Eye: Japan's Fashion Contradictions
I Spy With My Little Eye: On the Go in Japan

Kansai Diaries (2016)
9D/9N | Wakayama, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kansai Region
Osaka: Day 0: Arrival
Osaka Accommodations: Hotel Raizan, Hotel Mikado
Wakayama: Day 1: Going to, Sleeping in, and Eating in Koyasan
Wakayama: Day 1.5: West Side of Koya Town
Wakayama: Koyasan Sidewalk Shorts
Wakayama: Days 1.75~2: Okunoin, Three Times
Nara: Sleep, Eat, and Explore Nara City
Nara: Day 3: Horyuji, Hokkiji, and some Japanecdotes in Ikaruga Town
Nara: Day 3.5: Yakushiji, Toshodaiji, and Heijo Palace Site in Nara City
Nara: Day 4: Early Morning at Nara Park
Nara: Day 4.25: Naramachi Walking Tour
Nara: Day 4.5: Yoshiki-en, Todaiji, and Kofukuji in Nara Park
Kyoto Accommodations: Guesthouse Wind Villa, Shiori Yado
Kyoto: Day 5: Rainy Day in Uji City
Kyoto: Day 5.5: Tofukuji, Kawai Jinja, Shimogamo Jinja
Kyoto: Day 6: Ginkakuji, Ryoanji, Ninnaji
Kyoto: Day 6.75: Gion Night Walking Tour
Kyoto: Day 7: All Day in Arashiyama
Kyoto: Day 8: Last Day in Kyoto (you're here!)
Osaka: Day 8.75: Dizzying Dotonbori
Osaka: Day 9: Osaka, Over and Out

Kansai Diaries, Day 1: Going to, Sleeping in, and Eating in Koyasan

November 23, 2016
Wednesday

I wake up before my alarm rings. Soon I am at the ground floor of Hotel Raizan, depositing my bag in their luggage storage area. I have a quick breakfast with what they have for sale: cereal, milk, and yogurt. And I say goodbye to my bag and to the receptionist and trace my way back to where I had come from last night, Nankai Shin-Imamiya Station, to start my journey to the town of Koya in the prefecture of Wakayama, where I will be staying for a night.

Going to the Town of Koya:

• At Nankai Shin-Imamiya Station I get on the Express train to Hashimoto. (See train timetable.)
• In Hashimoto, I transfer to a train bound for Gokurakubashi.
• From Gokurakubashi, I take a 5-minute cable car ride on an inclined tram/cable car to Koyasan Station.
• And finally, I get on a bus bound for the town of Koya. (See bus timetable.)

 A station along the Koya Line

 Tram/Cable Car to Koyasan Station

Inside the tram/cable car

The entire trip, from Shin-Imamiya Station to Koya town, takes about two hours and I pay for each leg of the trip by showing my Koyasan World Heritage Ticket. There are faster trains—Rapid Express and Limited Express—that will shave off 10 to 20 minutes from the travel time. The Rapid Express operates every hour from 9AM to 1PM. The Limited Express is more frequent but is not covered by my Koyasan World Heritage Ticket.

The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket also includes 2 days of unlimited bus rides (Nankai Rinkan Bus) around the town of Koya.

Sleeping in the Town of Koya:

Koyasan (Mt Koya) is the center of Shingon Buddhism, a sect of Buddhism established 1200 years ago by Kukai or Kobo Daishi, a Buddhist priest. He established a monastery in Koyasan. And over the years, a temple town developed around it. Many temples around Koya offer pilgrims and travelers a place to stay (a night in a temple with breakfast and dinner costs at least 9,700 yen). While on the trip planning stage I was tempted to stay in a temple lodging, but in the end I had to admit defeat and find a cheaper alternative.

I get off at the last bus stop and walk east, away from the town center, for about 5 minutes, to the only non-temple accommodation I could find that was within my budget: Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu.

The guesthouse, grey on the outside but all white inside, is small with just 8 capsules and 3 bedrooms. All the bedrooms and capsules share toilets and shower rooms. I am assigned a bottom capsule. The capsule has a futon, pillow, blanket, lamp, power outlets, coat hooks, hangers, and a window. (A bath towel can be rented for 100 yen.) The capsule door can be locked from the inside. The capsule is rather small but is surprisingly comfy.

It's amazingly cozy inside the capsule

There is a bar and a common lounge where guests can mingle and eat. The bar serves breakfast (not included in the room rate), dinner, and drinks. There is free coffee and tea.

600 yen breakfast at Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu

Once I had finished inspecting my capsule and dumping my bag there, the guesthouse staff sits me down at the lounge and gives tips (in a very humorous way, I should mention) on what to see (a lot!) and where to eat (he gives me seven restaurant options and writes down the restaurant names in romaji and not in Japanese) in town.

Eating in the Town of Koya:

I take his advice and go to the center of town to find Chuo Shokudo San Bou, a restaurant that serves shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). I surprise myself by finding it without asking anyone even if the only sign outside is this: 中央食堂 さんぼう. I step inside and find there is a short queue of Japanese customers and I take it as a sign that the food must be good. Soon the line of hungry customers grows and extends outside the door. While waiting, I look over the menu and skip the udon selection (650 to 950 yen) and study the nine vegetarian set meal options (1100 to 2200 yen).

Lunch hour at Chuo Shokudo San Bou

I decide on the mugi daizu (barley and soy bean) rice set for 1100 yen. The meal is served on bowls and plates on a wooden tray. I especially like the goma tofu (sesame tofu, a specialty in Koyasan) and the mashed I-don't-know-what (on the oval plate on the left of the photo below). I walk out of the restaurant full (but my stomach doesn't feel heavy) and satisfied.

Mugi daizu (barley and soy bean) rice set

For dinner, I choose another one of the restaurants the guesthouse staff recommended and try Shunsai Kameya, just a few houses from Koyasan Guesthouse Kokuu. I again congratulate myself when I find it even with only this sign outside: 旬菜かめや. In the restaurant, there is just me and a Japanese family. I am guessing business is slow tonight because it's a weekday and the restaurant is located far from the town center.

 Shunsai Kameya 旬菜かめや

There are seven dinner sets (1100 to 1500 yen) to choose from. I decide on the vegetarian tempura set 1200 yen (+8% tax) with 5 kinds of vegetable tempura on a bowl of rice, a bowl of udon, and a cube of goma tofu (sesame tofu). A tasty, healthy dinner. (Oh, I  managed to be vegetarian for a day! Haha!)

Vegetarian tempura set

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

Japan
Know Before You Go
Single Entry Tourist Visa for Japan
Roam Around Japan with a Swagger
An Ignoramus in Japan: Vending Machines
An Ignoramus in Japan: Bathrooms and Toilets
An Ignoramus in Japan: Manhole Covers
I Spy With My Little Eye: Japan's Fashion Contradictions
I Spy With My Little Eye: On the Go in Japan

Kansai Diaries (2016)
9D/9N | Wakayama, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kansai Region
Osaka: Day 0: Arrival
Osaka Accommodations: Hotel Raizan, Hotel Mikado
Wakayama: Day 1: Going to, Sleeping in, and Eating in Koyasan (you're here!)
Wakayama: Day 1.5: West Side of Koya Town
Wakayama: Koyasan Sidewalk Shorts
Wakayama: Days 1.75~2: Okunoin, Three Times
Nara: Sleep, Eat, and Explore Nara City
Nara: Day 3: Horyuji, Hokkiji, and Some Japanecdotes in Ikaruga Town
Nara: Day 3.5: Yakushiji, Toshodaiji, and Heijo Palace Site in Nara City
Nara: Day 4: Early Morning at Nara Park
Nara: Day 4.25: Naramachi Walking Tour
Nara: Day 4.5: Todaiji, Yoshiki-en, and Kofukuji in Nara Park
Kyoto Accommodations: Guesthouse Wind Villa, Shiori Yado
Kyoto: Day 5: Rainy Day in Uji City
Kyoto: Day 5.5: Tofukuji, Kawai Jinja, Shimogamo Jinja
Kyoto: Day 6: Ginkakuji, Ryoanji, Ninnaji
Kyoto: Day 6.75: Gion Night Walking Tour
Kyoto: Day 7: All Day in Arashiyama
Kyoto: Day 8: Last Day in Kyoto
Osaka: Day 8.75: Dizzying Dotonbori
Osaka: Day 9: Osaka, Over and Out

Kansai Diaries, Day 7: All Day in Arashiyama

November 29, 2016

The first time I visited Gion and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove was last year, both when it was too late to see anything except for little Japanese yokai popping out of the shadows. Not the best time to visit. This year, a second attempt. Last night: Gion. First thing today: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

It is rush hour in Kyoto Station. I feel like I am in slow motion—everyone around me is a blur of  blue or black suits. But I am not the only one in slow motion, there are two little kids in school uniforms with matching hats and bags right in front of me taking their precious time chanting as they climb the stairs: 'Saisho wa gu, jan ken pon!' Sounds just like our own jak en poy! It is the same! They are playing rock paper scissors! I look for my platform and the kids disappear behind a jumble of slacks.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

I arrive in Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. There are only a handful of people scattered along the path. Woohoo! This is close to those beautiful photos of the grove I have seen on the internet. I take in the serene surroundings and am thankful I got here before the busloads of tourists arrive.

There are many places to see in this area, not just the bamboo groves. Should I head south of the groves to recommended sites such as Tenryuji Temple and Togetsukyo Bridge? Or north to less visited sites? I pick north. (In hindsight, Tenryuji Temple and Togetsukyo Bridge would have been better visited early to avoid crowds.)

Rakushisha

落柿舎

March to December 9AM to 5PM

January to February 10AM to 4PM

Admission fee: 250 yen

North then, to Rakushisha ("fallen persimmon hut"), a hut owned by Mukai Kyorai, a 17th century haiku poet. I have never heard of this guy before today. But I stop by the hut anyway because Matsuo Basho—him I have heard of—is Mukai Kyorai's teacher. And Matsuo Basho has visited this hut and composed some of his poems here. Maybe I can find my inner poet at Rakushisha.

I peek inside the hut and visit its small garden with bare trees, green grass, and poetic stones—stones engraved with poems, not only by Matsuo Basho, but by other poets as well. I sit on a bench and squeeze my brain for a haiku, but no haiku poem comes.

Rakushisha

Inside Rakushisha

Kitchen

One of the engraved stones in the garden

Maybe one will come to me later. I leave the hut and walk farther north passing rows of trees dressed in autumn colors, a quirky shop or two, quiet homes, a neglected-looking shrine, restaurants, more shops, and then more houses...

The field in front of Rakushisha

Lots of tanuki here

A neglected-looking shrine

Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street

...and walk and walk until it seems I am transported back in time. The houses have turned ancient. I am now in Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street.

Adashino Nenbutsuji

9AM to 430PM (until 330PM from December to February)

Admission fee: 500 yen

At the end of Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street is Adashino Nenbutsuji, a temple said to have been founded by Kukai or Kobo Daishi. (This guy is great: he also established a monastery in Koyasan!) In ancient times, Adashino, the area where the temple is now, was where the dead were buried and stone statues were put there as gravestones. A creepy thought. Adashino Nenbutsuji now has these stone statues neatly arranged in lines. Very organized. Not creepy at all.

In Adashino Nenbutsuji, I find a path cutting through a bamboo grove. It is a short ascending path. Pretty. And quiet. And leads to a cemetery. A very, very quiet cemetery, that somehow gives me the creeps so early in the morning.

After visiting thousands of gravestones, I continue farther north, passing by many residential houses, until I reach a vermilion torii at a fork in the road. There is a tea house right behind the torii. A hot drink would be perfect right about now, but the tea house is still closed. I take the road on the right, which is the right road to my next destination.

Otagi Nenbutsuji

愛宕念仏寺

8AM to 5PM

Admission fee: 300 yen

1200 stone statues greet me at Otagi Nenbutsuji. Each stone statue has a different facial expression and I busy myself peering into each face. Some make me smile, others almost make me laugh out loud, a number make me want to poke their cheeks and tummies. These stone statues are too cute! I wish I could take one home! These pleasant looking stone faces are well worth the long walk!

Can you guess which one is my favorite?

In half a day I have only explored the northern half of Arashiyama, which is technically Sagano. I go back the way I had come and step into いっぷく処つれづれ, one of the many restaurants I had earlier seen. It is time for some carbo loading.

Carbo loading

It is around 2pm when I find myself back at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, this time weaving through swarms of tourists. I must make my way to the end of the grove to get to Tenryuji Temple.

Tenryuji

天龍寺

830AM to 530PM (until 5PM from late October to late March)

Admission fees:

Gardens 500 yen

Buildings 300 yen

Dharma Hall 500 yen (open on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays

and during special spring and autumn exhibits)

There are too many people in this UNESCO World Heritage Site and I decide to just buy a ticket to see the gardens of Tenryuji. One might think I've had enough of gardens yesterday, but these Japanese gardens have the power to make me hand over my money.

Tenryuji's meticulously designed stone and pond garden is a pleasant picture. It is one of the oldest gardens in Japan and has retained the same form from the 14th century. Most awesome! But the crowds too are awesome in number that I do not stay for very long.

Tenryuji's Main Hall

Togetsukyo Bridge

I have to go to the south bank of Katsura River, and to get there I need to cross Togetsukyo Bridge, which literally means "Moon Crossing Bridge". It's not nighttime yet, but my face is as round as a moon, so it is quite fitting. Eventhough it is cold and windy, I do not hurry and stop every now and then to observe the boats and the birds.

Monkey Park Iwatayama

9AM to 5PM (until 430PM from October to mid-March)

Admission fee: 550 yen (if you have a Kansai One Pass, you get a 100 yen discount)

The only reason I am on this side of the bridge is to visit my cousins at Monkey Park Iwatayama. What my primate cousins (and the woman at the ticket booth) did not tell me was that this 10-minute walk is uphill. I huff and I puff all the way to monkey territory. The monkeys are free to roam the area, bask in the sun, eat their meals on the roof of the rest house, enjoy the view of the city on the bench. While they are free to roam outside the rest house, we humans have to get inside if we want to feed them (monkey food is available for sale inside the rest house).

I'm inside the rest house, while this guy is outside begging for food

Lots of monkeys here, including monkeys in clothes :D

Do not disturb, eating ongoing

View of the city from Monkey Park Iwatayama

I have fed the monkeys. Now it is time to feed myself. I make my way back down and navigate the streets to the train station. Until I smell something delicious. I see a bunch of taiyaki turning golden brown. Drool! I stop and wait in line and can barely hold my saliva in. My turn comes and I order one chocolate and one matcha taiyaki. The guy looks at me like he can't believe I am such a big eater, but hands me the goods anyway. I happily bite into my taiyaki. Believe it mister!

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

Japan
Know Before You Go
Single Entry Tourist Visa for Japan
Roam Around Japan with a Swagger
An Ignoramus in Japan: Vending Machines
An Ignoramus in Japan: Bathrooms and Toilets
An Ignoramus in Japan: Manhole Covers
I Spy With My Little Eye: Japan's Fashion Contradictions
I Spy With My Little Eye: On the Go in Japan

Kansai Diaries (2016)
9D/9N | Wakayama, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kansai Region
Osaka: Day 0: Arrival
Osaka Accommodations: Hotel Raizan, Hotel Mikado
Wakayama: Day 1: Going to, Sleeping in, and Eating in Koyasan
Wakayama: Day 1.5: West Side of Koya Town
Wakayama: Koyasan Sidewalk Shorts
Wakayama: Days 1.75~2: Okunoin, Three Times
Nara: Sleep, Eat, and Explore Nara City
Nara: Day 3: Horyuji, Hokkiji, and some Japanecdotes in Ikaruga Town
Nara: Day 3.5: Yakushiji, Toshodaiji, and Heijo Palace Site in Nara City
Nara: Day 4: Early Morning at Nara Park
Nara: Day 4.25: Naramachi Walking Tour
Nara: Day 4.5: Yoshiki-en, Todaiji, and Kofukuji in Nara Park
Kyoto Accommodations: Guesthouse Wind Villa, Shiori Yado
Kyoto: Day 5: Rainy Day in Uji City
Kyoto: Day 5.5: Tofukuji, Kawai Jinja, Shimogamo Jinja
Kyoto: Day 6: Ginkakuji, Ryoanji, Ninnaji
Kyoto: Day 6.75: Gion Night Walking Tour
Kyoto: Day 7: All Day in Arashiyama (you're here!)
Kyoto: Day 8: Last Day in Kyoto
Osaka: Day 8.75: Dizzying Dotonbori
Osaka: Day 9: Osaka, Over and Out