So my journey to Kyoto had a couple of hiccups. Mari and I made the mistake of thinking that my bus left at 11:40 at night when in reality, it left at 10:40. By the time we realized it, it was already 10:15. It takes half an hour to get to Tokyo station, and I still hadn’t finished packing just yet. I threw everything in my backpack and Mari drove me to the Nishi-Kawaguchi station to see if I could get there on time. We said a quick goodbye before I ran to catch the next train. I had tears in my eyes, but not because I was afraid of missing the train. More because I didn’t want to have such a hurried and rushed goodbye. As it happened, I missed the bus, so I turned around and came back to Nishi-Kawaguchi. I went back to the house where Mari was already looking for morning buses that could take me to Kyoto. She insisted that I take a shower and go to bed, so I did just that.
The next morning, Mari still hadn’t found any buses, but she brought up the option of the Shinkansen (bullet train). I had considered this when I first thought about traveling around Japan, except for the fact that seats are ridiculously expensive. However, she insisted on paying for it, so I was able to eat a relaxed breakfast and get all packed up before we went to the station to get a ticket. Ticket in hand and bags all packed, Mari and I parted ways as I headed toward Tokyo station.
In the end, it worked out fine, and I even had a random chance occurrence. As I got onto my Shinkansen platform, part of it was roped off and there were a bunch of photographers taking pictures of something. I couldn’t see what it was from where I was standing, but there was a train getting ready to depart, which was to be the one before mine. As the train took off, a woman dressed in a red and white dress suit and fancy hat waved to the waiting passengers on the platform. A man behind me said to his wife, “Do you know who that was? It was the empress!”
This would be the first of two encounters.
I arrived at Kyoto station in less than three hours and proceeded to get mind-bogglingly lost looking for my hostel. There’s only one JR line train that runs through Kyoto and I thought, “Well, I’ll take the one that looks closest to the hostel.” I ended up walking for about 2-3 hours trying to find my way. On the bright side, I passed some majorly gorgeous scenery. Kyoto is really a beautiful city with a completely different dynamic than Tokyo. In Kyoto, the best way to get around is by bus, and the city is surrounded by mountains and lush green trees. The buildings aren’t particularly tall, and it’s generally much more quaint.
The hostel I stayed in, Kyoto Utano Youth Hostel, was awesome. I recommend it to anyone else who goes to Kyoto (just don’t try to get there by the JR). I spent a comfortable night in a warm bed after taking a hot bath.
One of the awesome things about the hostel is that you can buy an all-day bus pass for 500 yen. Unlimited access to the city buses all day for about five bucks? Yes please.
So in Kyoto there are about a million temples. Which ones do you visit? An excellent question. I based my decisions on suggestions given to me by Mari and one on-a-whim choice. The first on my list was Kinkakuji.
Right when you walk in through the entrance, you’re met with a golden structure on a pond that glimmers in the sunlight, and it’s really breath taking. There are also beautiful pathways paved in stone that lead to a teahouse and vendors trying to sell dango and other treats.
After Kinkakuji, I hopped on a bus and headed in the general direction of Kyomizudera. Cue me getting lost and walking in the wrong direction along a river. It was still a pretty walk, but kind of annoying when you’ve got a big heavy backpack on your back. As I crossed streets, I noticed there were a lot of traffic cops. Like A LOT of traffic cops. As I stood waiting for the light to change at an intersection, the small group of Japanese women next to me started squealing and waving at a passing car. With a quick glance, I saw a female figure waving from the car window. Guess who saw the empress again without even realizing it? I wonder if she recognized the pink-haired foreigner with the big blue backpack.
The second stop was Kyomizudera. Holy mother, this is one gorgeous temple. The grounds are huge, first of all, and covered in maple and sakura trees (some of which were in bloom, but probably not to their full capacity). There are little side paths that lead you to smaller shrines and sites, like the love stone.
It was also raining on and off all day, which explains why there are rain clouds in some pictures while the rest are all sun-shiny. I think my favorite spot was the holy water fountain. As is tradition with visiting Japanese temples and shrines, you have to stop at a cleansing fountain where you wash your hands and mouth before stepping inside. Kyomizudera has one at its entrance, but it has an extra one that supposedly has holy water. I just thought the fountain was pretty. :)
My final stop in Kyoto was Ginkakuji, which turned out being quite like Kinkakuji, only less gold and more zen garden-esque. It was a lovely walk and had a nice view of the city.
Overall, Kyoto was really lovely. It was quite refreshing from the bustling city scene of Tokyo. There are no by-ways over the heads of pedestrians, and there are lots of trees and green and flowers and pretty suburban houses. Overall, a really nice couple of days.
Stunning, absolutely stunning!
ReplyDeleteLove, mom