Self-Proclaimed Travel Guide: Kyoto - Nara - Arashiyama
First, a disclaimer before we launch into my non-expert advice about traveling.
I write this blog not as a native or as a trained individual, simply as a veteran tourist with the bare minimum of language skills and an overabundance of photography I would like to share. When I was researching traveling in Kyoto, I found a lack of articles written by people. I was assaulted, instead, with commercial-ridden organization pages that mostly made recommendation based on profit, not goodwill.
That having been said, I must highly recommend everyone to visit Japan Travel Guide for information. It is more than useful and gives a very good overall picture of what to expect regarding travel times and ticket prices and such.
Second disclaimer: this post is quite long and it took me even longer to write. I'm sorry.
Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post.
The first conundrum: Kyoto has no airport. The nearest airports are in the populous port town in Osaka, and while the two locations were readily connected by trains and buses, we didn't really have an idea what to do. Thank goodness for my mother's travel agent, who had hooked me up with a package deal of flight+hotel along with a limousine bus ticket from Osaka's Kansai International Airport (KIX) to Kyoto station.
Tickets are ¥2,500 (USD$28) per person for a one way trip, and takes about an hour and a half. If you have any luggage, then the kind employees will give you a nice tag to hold onto until you disembark. There are two stops - Kyoto Station being the second one - and both are announced in multiple languages including English. The bus drops you off at the bus terminal across from the Kyoto Central Station, which is the central hub of all transportation in Kyoto.
I was staying at the Rihga Royal Hotel, which offered a free shuttle from the station in front of McDonald's and Café Mozart. This was very useful for transporting luggage, but the hotel itself was only a 10 minute walk from the station, so I just did that for most of the trip.
My first meal in Japan was at Ichiran ramen (一蘭拉麵), which is a Japanese national franchise I previously visited in Tokyo. I haven't been there in about 6 years, and I've had a hankering for their ramen for the entire time, so I took this opportunity to quench my thirst. There will be a separate blog post for this, simply because it is that epic, but just take a look at that photo. Mmm. There's nothing better for you on a cold winter night than hot ramen and a cold beer.
Ichiran ramen also did a pop-up debut in NYC a while ago, and the project has been on standstill every since. I've got my eye on it, though, and will definitely be notifying anyone if I hear anything.
After dinner, I took a quick stroll around the area and found myself at the Nishiki Food Market, which is a massive semi-indoor market place that sprawls lavishly across dozens of blocks. There were hundreds of items on sale, ranging from the most obscurely traditional to the comfortably homey. Tourists wrestle with locals who are fighting to get a better price from the vendors who are busy trying to protect their precious wares from being crushed by tourist cameras - it's a viciously delicious cycle.
I didn't buy any of the fresh wares on display because the hotel did not offer a microwave, and I was afraid to things being crushed on the commute home, so we settled for some bomb hella ramen and snacks and beers at a neighborhood 7-eleven. It was also way too crowded to even consider eating on the spot, so I just scuttled along while trying to stay warm.
The next day we decided to take a half-day trip to the nearby town of Nara (奈良), accessible by the Kintetsu (近鉄) railway. All the ticket counters in the train station are automated and available in an English interface, but all that is offered on the screen are prices and number of tickets. To figure out the price you must consult the MASSIVE overhead maps that list location and prices. In our case, a train to Nara was ¥610 ($6.79) per person.
I like cushier.
In Japan, buses are boarded from the back as you follow an organized queue, and disembarked from the front as you drop in your fare. People also drive on the left side of the road there, so remember to look right first before you cross the street.
I was inches away from becoming roadkill in Arashiyama, but that's a story for later. It's also a mistake I have learned never to make again.
The buses here are a little more varied than Kyoto. Some do announcements in multiple languages, and others don't. This process, however, was facilitated for us thanks to the mass amounts of tourists that all decided to disembark at the same time. A nice, orderly queue was formed along the aisle and everyone walked by the driver, and - with a small half bow - deposited ¥200. The driver would reciprocate with a courteous "Hai, arigatougozaimasu (Yes, thank you very much)" and a semi-bow from his seat.
Another tell-tale sign that you are arriving in the Todaiji (東大寺) area is the sight of deer. Lots of them. Small ones, female ones, male ones, all of them fearlessly crossing the street and approaching the tourists. If I have ever met a bully of an animal, it would be the deer at the deer park in Nara.
There are even signs warning you about this. Don't believe me?
There are little stands around the deer park, usually manned by tiny little adorable Japanese grams and gramps, that sell crackers specifically for the purpose of feeding the deer. Prices seem to all be ¥500 ($5.57) across all stands, and each package comes with about 6 crackers. It's funny to observe tourists going up to the stands, and nonchalantly purchasing deer crackers thinking they'd have time to leisurely open the packet and then pull a dainty snow white and frolic with deer.
The moment that little Japanese vendor takes your money and passes you a pack of crackers, the deer are ALL suddenly within a 1/2 inch vicinity of your person, headbutting you and nipping your waist/buttocks haranguing you for a treat. When you're busy confronting 3 deers on your left side, there are 4 more waiting on your right side, jumping about and biting relentlessly at your sensitive behind.
No harm is done though, and as soon as the last cracker is consumed the deer walk away from as if you were last season's Pradas in Bergdorf Goodman. I don't actually know if people walk away from those. I just fancied imagining these particular deer having snobby upper west side Manhattan accents while turning up their noses at anything behind the times.
Once you survive the deer attack, slowly make your way through the park while photographing and casually searching for a bathroom. Fight your way across a massive slew of visitors frequenting the stores and food stands that lined the main avenue leading up to the grand temple itself.
The tickets to visit the temple palace costs ¥500 ($5.57), with various discounts for children, elderly, and groups. When approaching the temple, you will see this little structure on the side of the entrance, right before the stairs. This is a very common sight in Japan, as it is a sort of customary cleansing ritual before entering the temple, much like the holy water phenomenon while entering a church. I was always taught to do it a certain way, and I think it is the correct way based on the fact that a.) I've seen Japanese locals do it that way, and b.) I haven't been screamed at and asked to leave by a monk yet.
What you are witnessing here is a fountain of sorts, with ladles with which you clean yourself. This is the process I have always done, and please don't hold me accountable if I am wrong.
Grab the ladle with your right hand and scoop a ladle-full of water. Remember to ration a little because said scoop has to clean both your hands, your mouth, and the ladle handle. So - as I was saying - grab the ladle with your right hand and scoop a ladle-full of water. Pour some onto your left hand for a quick rinse, then transfer the ladle into your left hand and rinse your right hand. Then pour some water into your right hand and bring the hand (NOT THE LADLE) to your mouth and rinse out your mouth. Feel free to swallow the water, but make sure if you spit you don't spit out into the fountain pool. Last step: tilt the ladle up so the water runs down along the handle.
Now you may enter.
After a quick stroll through the temple and the grounds, the hunger started to get to me, so I stopped by one of the small stands to get some takoyaki. Takoyaki, for those of you who don't know, are a traditional spherical Japanese delight that consist of batter, octopus, and a garnish of sauce, bonito flakes, and seaweed flakes.
The outside is firm and sometimes crispy, while the inside is molten hot and creamy. You are assaulted by a plethora of flavors and textures and all while your tongue is trying to process everything, you find a surprise in the middle: one single piece of octopus!
Prices of these may vary, but I got a bargain - I think - having paid ¥500 ($5.67) for 10.
Also, I've written this blog post over the course of a week or so, so the currency exchange rate for yen to USD has varied a bit. I'm simply adapting to the current times without modifying the passing times.
After a leisurely little snack and a quick coffee, I headed back onto a bus and hopped a train back to Kyoto to begin the second leg of the day to Arashiyama (嵐山).
The Main Station has a massive selection of different restaurants to choose from, but do be aware that English menus will not always be available. Nor English speaking staff. I settled for an eel place that cost a pretty penny, but definitely did the job. By the time I was done eating, the sun had already started to set. Silly me forgot that Japan was on a different latitude and that the days end around 5pm in wintertime Japan. By the time I got to Arashiyama, it was full-on nighttime already.
I took the JR to Arashiyama, which cost ¥230 ($2.56) and took roughly 20 minutes. The train leaving times and platforms aren't exactly displayed, but upon inquisition I was directed to any one of the trains on platforms 31, 32, or 33. Upon exiting the station, I consulted a map and headed in the general direction of where clusters of temples were.
Big mistake.
It was pitch black and freezing, while most streets were very dimly lit and seemingly absolutely unoccupied. I still lament the fact that I did not get to visit Arashiyama during the daytime, because on previous visits I was lucky enough to see the small town in sunlight - a lovely sight to behold. Arashiyama is famous for cherry blossoms, temples, a gorgeous river straddled by historic bridges, and bamboo groves (pictured above) that can be walked or traversed in rickshaws. At night, however, things get
The city seemed altogether abandoned on New Year's Eve, with the good chance that most people were in Kyoto City congregating at temples to receive their annual blessings and celebrate at a bar or a restaurant. So after strolling through countless dark and eerie streets with a quick coffee break at a vending machine, we headed back to the JR station. I did, however, stop at a Lawson's convenience store to pick up a few snacks for the ride back and to ask for directions.
I made the mistake of asking in broken, but I think decently well-pronounced, Japanese, and was then directed in very animated Japanese accompanied by very dedicated body language. It was hard not to giggle appreciatively of the man's efforts to be as helpful as possible.
Finally, I made it back to the JR station and took the train back to Kyoto.
Since it was New Year's Eve, I decided to venture into Gion, the bustling shopping/geisha district, to see how Japanese locals did their thing. It was more than easy to get to Gion from Kyoto station: we simply hopped on the 100 bus and got off at the Gion stop. Bus fare is ¥220 ($2.42) and the ride is about 15 minutes depending on traffic.
As soon as I got off at the bus stop I was immediately assaulted with lights, sights, and sounds. Seas of people mulled through the pavement and crosswalks, all bundled up in winter gear, rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed. It seemed as though the general trend of movement was towards a large temple gate at the large intersection, so I decided to go with the flow.
I clambered up the steps of the temple gates and found ourselves in the midst of a Japanese night market. Squeezed into the tiny paths running through the temple grounds were stalls boasting souvenirs and good luck charms and bounties upon bounties of food. Meandering slowly through the winding tracks of stone led to the main temple itself, where a massive queue was forming with people waiting patiently to light their good luck ropes in the holy fires tended by monks.
As the time got closer to midnight, more people began to flock into the temple, and the temperature got lower. Doing as I usually do, I began to feel the bite of hunger and started scouting out different food stalls to decide what I would munch on as we toured the sights: the winner was a yakisoba stall.
Yakisoba (焼きそば) literally translates into fried noodles, but there's so much more to it than just that. The noodles are fried along with sliced onions, cabbages, garlic and pork, then drenched in a delicious sauce that is not too different from worcestershire sauce. Certain variations call for different ingredients, but the sauce is always the same. Once everything is all fried up, a series of garnishes are piled on, consisting of seaweed flakes, pickled ginger, fish flakes, and mayonnaise.
After a short break to devour the hot noodles, I tracked down some custard cakes and fried chicken to top off our dinner. Midnight grew closer, so I meandered back towards the hotel, but not before stopping off at a 7-eleven to pick up some snacks and beers to accompany me into the new year.
On my final day in Kyoto, I decided to hit up one of the more beautiful sights I had ever seen in my lifetime: Kiyomizudera (清水寺). This is truly one must-see sight in Kyoto if you are here. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage sight, the "Clear Water Temple" is famous for its brilliant foliage in the fall and cherry blossoms in the spring.
The temple is accessible by bus on the 100 route from Kyoto station, where one would disembark at the "Kiyomizu Temple" stop and walk up a winding route past hills of restaurants, tea shops, and souvenir shops. There are generally maps every few blocks or so in case you get lost, but if you just walk up to a shop owner and say "Kiyomizudera?" they should direct you straight to it.
Pictured above is the front entry gate to the general temple grounds, eye catching in all its brilliant orange glory. It is not necessary to cross the threshold of this gate, but if you do, make sure you do not actually step on the threshold. Take the pain to step over it, as it is very disrespectful and unlucky in many Asian cultures to step on the physical threshold of either temple, home, or any establishment.
Don't worry about looking ridiculous because there will be other people following this rule. Not all people, however, will adhere to this rule. It is not necessarily a mandatory practice but - being a little bit more than superstitious - I'd always rather be safe than sorry.
Tickets are ¥300 ($3.30) apiece for the regular season, and ¥400 ($4.39) for the illuminations during the fall and the spring, which are night time visiting hours during which the pathways are lit up to accentuate the beauty of the fall foliage and cherry blossoms. Although we went when there was no foliage, blossoms, or snow, it was still a beautiful sight to behold.
The crowds, however, were a little less than manageable with every single Japanese resident within 100 miles of Kyoto and their mothers trying to get their new year's fortune at the temple shop. I can't imagine how the monks and the employees could even begin to deal with all of that, but then again I guess that's the point of finding your zen.
Kiyomizudera is also famous for its love shrine, where people come in hopes of finding their better half, or to beg for a successful marriage. People also come here to thank the gods for having found their better halves, and give generous donations to signify their infinite gratitude. These thankful lovebirds are then immortalized - for a short time period - on the shrines, as pictured above, where their names, resident cities, and donation amounts are written up and pasted. Or something to the effect of that. I'm not sure.
There is also a famous pair of "love stones" - no it's not what you think - that is supposed to bring you amorous luck. Two small boulders, spaced about 20 feet apart, apparently signify your journey to find love. If you can walk from one stone to another with your eyes closed sans guidance, then you will apparently soon find love. If you need someone to guide you, then that means you will need help in finding your soulmate. On any given day, however, there are mounds of tourists flocking between stone to stone, so good luck getting anywhere with your eyes closed.
Continuing down along the winding path, which is normally flocked with tress full of blossoms and leaves but are now winterly barren, you will find yourself at this breathtaking and famous view of the main temple itself. If at this point, you suddenly discover that you are in need of using facilities, fret not - there is a public restroom at the bottom of the hill. Be ready to get in line and brace yourself for the possibility of using a commode. What's that? It's a squat toilet. It's not as bad as you think.
Dotting the path will be some small restaurants, serving soba noodles and various small snacks and tea. We were not lucky enough to frequent one of these establishments, but they all looked very cozy and very delicious, so I urge you to be adventurous and try one of them.
Further along the path, you will see Kiyomizudera's namesake, a clear water fountain. It allegedly brings about good health if you drink from it, so you can be assured you will see a queue of people waiting for this natural immunity booster. The spout's projectile renders it out of human reach, so the drink must be acquired from a ladle much like the ones in front of temples, except much longer.
Once I had gotten our fair share of being a photography nerd, I continued down the path in my leisurely stroll until I was off the temple grounds. After locating a map, I decided I would revisit the Gion area for a brisk walk and a hot lunch. The search was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated, what with most shops being closed on new year's day and the open ones being filled to the brim with people. The streets were also flooded with tourists and Japanese visitors on pilgrimage. Finally - as my feet and back was about to give out - I saw a small quiet shop tucked away in back alley of hanamikoji (花見小路) boasting handmade soba noodles. I was sold.
This restaurant experience will also be getting its own separate blogpost along with the Ichiran experience, and I promise that this time it won't take a month until they are published. I ordered a Tori-nanban, which was hot soba noodles in broth with wild chicken, for ¥1,200 ($13.18). Like I said, food in Japan is not cheap.
Seeing as this was my last day in Kyoto and I had to take a train over to Osaka for an early flight the next day, I had to hurriedly - and reluctantly - rush back over to the hotel to collect luggage I had previously left with the staff when I checked out. I then took the hotel shuttle over to the Kyoto station, where I decided against paying way too much for a Shinkansen ride and opted just for a JR over to Osaka.
When I arrived in Osaka, it was already well late, and barely anything was open given the time and the timing. After a quick inquiry at the front desk, Iwas directed to a restaurant street where wˆ had a quick, typical, and less than cheap dinner before I went to bed early to catch the first airport bus, ¥1,500 ($16.48), to KIX.
That concludes the all too short trip to Japan, but maybe I'll compensate by having my own adventure here in the great city of New York.
Until next time.
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